The Ishida Clan
by yuna-chan
Summary: while the kenshin gumi is taking a walk, the come across a 16 year old girl who is a painter, she stays at the dojo and begins to get a crush on Sano ., any how she has a strange past that could affect all of them KxK paring and Sanox? CHAPPIE 20 IS UP!
1. Authors notes Read these frist!

Author's Notes:  
  
I dont own the charaters and all that good disclamer stuff. Ima just writting a fanficcie, if did own Kenshin I'd own Sanosuke, Aoshi and Kenshin....and that would be nice. ::mad lustly grin:: Yes I am a rabid fangirl!  
  
This story takes palce soon after the 3rd season of the series..sooo anyway, back to the summmary!  
  
Summary: A clumsy 16 year-old painter named Midori Ishida meets up with Kenshin gumi. She is being chased down by the Iimjia clan, for some grudge agaisnt her own clan. The Kenshin gumi diecides to help her out, getting invovled in something she does'nt want them too.What isn't Midori telling the kenshin gumi? What excatly does the Iimija clan want? Is the Iimjia clan stronger than Kenshin-gumi is assuming?  
  
Oh yea.the couplings are:  
  
Kaoru and Kenshin (they are so cute together, I cant belive I like a canon paring couple, well I still think they are cute. So yay, I need to shut up so you can get on with the damn fanfiction.)  
  
Sanosuke and ? (::Isane grin:: Read and find out! It's not Megumi, I think they make a dumb couple anyway.so no flames if you don't like the coupling! )  
  
And some other new characters have lover type things.yeaaahhhh.  
  
Genre: Comdey/Drama and little romance  
  
Wow. I suck at summaries! Oh well!  
  
Konchi wa Minna-san! Here is a list of the Japanese I'll be using in my story! YAYAYAYAYA! ::Ahem:: any way on to the list, it's not in alphabetical order, I am much too lazy to do that!  
  
De gozaru - What kenshin says at the end of most of his sentences, it is a polite way of speaking, but it translates to things like "That you are" and "that you will" and so on and so forth.  
  
Baka - Idoit  
  
San - this is a sign of respect, close to Mr, Mrs or Miss.  
  
Sama - Lord  
  
Naze? - Why?  
  
Nani? - What?  
  
Oi - Hey  
  
Gumi - group  
  
Minna - everyone  
  
Chan - little  
  
Arigatou - thanks  
  
Konchiwa - Hello  
  
Ohayo - Good Moring  
  
Dono - Miss or Mr, only used by Kenshin - though I'm not really sure what the diffrence between San and Dono is, if ya know tell me!  
  
Kuso - shit  
  
Jou-Chan - Missie  
  
Hai - yes  
  
Urasai - Shut-up  
  
Gomen or Gomenasai - Sorry (I think Gomenasai is the more polite way to say sorry)  
  
Maittae or Chotto maittae (Is that how you spell it? -_-") - Wait  
  
Sensei - teacher  
  
Wel I uhh think that is all! So please continue with the ficcy-fic! 


	2. Chapter 1 Midori Ishida

CHAPTER 1  
  
It was very clear night, the stars shined over Tokyo; it all seemed quite clam and quiet. Yet there were those who did not want to be quiet.  
  
"C'mon Kenshin let's go for a walk!" A cheerful girl with blackish-blue  
hair demanded and she grabbed the man with flaming red hair arm, who was  
standing next to her.  
  
"Kaoru-Dono, it's a little late." The man said, moaning a little  
  
She dropped his arm, sighing, looking slightly displeased "SO? C'mon  
Kenshin!"  
  
Kenshin sighed "Okay, only a short walk."  
  
"I'm coming too!" A boy's voice said, a boy voice which the reconigzed,  
his voice made the girl frown, seeming like he had interupted something  
speical.  
  
"Yahiko, you so should be in bed de gozaru." Kenshin said, patting the  
boy with dark messy hair on the shoulder.  
  
"I don't need to be! I bet there will be thugs to fight off!" The boy  
said aniouxsly.  
  
"Yahiko! Stop being so rash!" Kaoru said, looking a bit cross with him.  
  
"I'm not listening to you ugly." Yahiko said folding his arms.  
  
"N-NANI?!? How dare you call me that!" She shouted grabbing his shirt.  
  
"Calm down you two!" Kenshin said nervously, Kenshin turned to Kaoru,  
smiling. "Now let's go on our walk Kaoru-Dono."  
  
"Don't forget about me." Yahiko said grinning.  
  
"I guess there is no getting rid of you." Kaoru said as she started to get her angry eyes.  
  
The night was very clear and Kaoru really wished Yahiko wasn't there. She wanted to be alone with Kenshin. "Oh well, I'd probably just make a fool of myself in front of him anyhow." Kaoru thought as she looked up at the starry sky.  
  
"C'mon guys! Let's find some thugs!" Yahiko said.  
  
"Yahiko! Stop it!" Kaoru said, slightly annoyed  
  
"Well then I'll challenge you!" Yahiko said pointing his wooden practice sword at Kaoru.  
  
"Yahiko, not now!" Kaoru said getting more annoyed. Yahiko charged her, she ducked and he hit Kenshin instead. (At this point he wasn't paying attention.)  
  
"OooORrrO!" Kenshin said weakly as he fell over.  
  
"Kenshin you Baka! You could have easily dodged that!" Kaoru said as she grabbed the front of his shirt and shaking him.  
  
"Oh Kaoru-Dono, I am sorry de gozaru." He said scratching his head and laughing. Kaoru let go of him and smiled.  
  
"Well let's continue." As he got up and she began to walk again Kaoru tripped over Kenshin and fell on his head.  
  
"Kaoru-dono please get of my head." Kenshin said politely.  
  
"Sorry" Kaoru said blushing as she backed off. Kenshin got up, brushed himself off and offered Kaoru his hand, causing her to blush more.  
  
"Now let's continue our walk." Kenshin said kindly. "Okay Kensh..." Kaoru started to say, yet her awkward yet slightly romantic moment was interrupted by Yahiko.  
  
"Hey I think I hear a fight!" He said.  
  
"Probably just some drunks." She said as she saw Yahiko running towards the sound.  
  
"Wait Yahiko!" Kenshin said running after him.  
  
"You Baka! Get back here Yahiko!" Kaoru yelled as she ran after Kenshin. They kept running until an arm stopped them. It was Yahiko.  
  
"Shh! Look!" he whispered. There was a bunch of thuggish looking guys and girl that looked ready to fight.  
  
"Why don't you just give us what we want? We will have to kill you if not." One said.  
  
"I can't let anyone possess what has been in my family for years!" The girl said angrily.  
  
"Oh well, we will have to kill you." Another said. At first the girl looked nervous, yet she seemed to brush it off and said with a confident smile; "Then go ahead and try."  
  
"Shouldn't we help?" Kaoru asked, seeing as it was on girl against quite a few thugs.  
  
"Mattaie." Kenshin said. One man came towards the girl she put up a fighting stance grabbed him and flipped him over then she kicked him. It seemed he'd be down for a while.  
  
"Seems like she knows how to fight." Yahiko said, looking surprised.  
  
"But how long do you think she can keep it up?" Kaoru asked. Another man came after her with a knife , but she swiftly kicked it out of his hand and hit him in a place that must have been a pressure point because he was down. The man that spoke first charged at her with a sword she dodged it a few times, but she soon yelped out with pain and looked down at her left arm, there was quite a wound. So she started to run towards Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko. Two men blocked her and she hit them and continued to run. She wasn't really looking were she going and she ran straight into Kenshin.  
  
"Gomen!" She said quickly getting up again, as she flew off down the  
street.  
  
"Kaoru, take the girl to Megumi's." Kenshin said.  
  
"Hai!" Kaoru said  
  
"You too Yahiko!" Kenshin said. Yahiko was not very happy, he tried to complain, but Kaoru grabbed him and ran.  
  
The girl heard them saying this as she looked over her shoulder and yelled"Why are you helping me?"  
  
"That's just what Kenshin does, he protects people without killing anyone." Kaoru said almost dreamily, catching up to the girl.  
  
"Why couldn't I fight, damn it!" Yahiko said.  
  
"Oh a cute boy-chan like you fight? That would be dangerous!" The girl said looking worried.  
  
"CHAN?!?!?" He yelled "I AM A GOOD FIGHTER!"  
  
"Oh, Gomen." The girl said looking embarrassed. Kenshin soon came running towards them.  
  
"Oi! Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled. "That took you longer than I expected."  
  
"Oh, I was tried de gozaru!  
  
"Wait did she just say Kenshin? Does she mean Himura Kenshin? The Battasoui? It can't be!" The girl thought, looking puzzled.  
  
"Well we have to keep going to Dr.Gensei and Megumi's." Kenshin said, looking toward the girl.  
  
"How's your arm?" Kaoru asked, walking toward her to see the wound better.  
  
"It will be okay." She responed, as she pointed to the gash on her arm. Kaoru said they should hurry on their way to Megumi's. Once they reached Megumi's there was only one light on, so they knew they had to be quiet.  
  
"Megumi? Dr.Gensei?" Kaoru asked quietly so she wouldn't wake anyone, but loud enough somone that was awake would hear.  
  
"What are you doing here so late? Oh dear Ken! Nice to see you .. But you're rather late." Megumi said. "Oh who is this? A patient? Follow me young lady." Megumi led the girl over too the futon. The others followed, it took a while to fix up the girl's wound, and she just had a sling in the end. "All I can say is this girl should not use her left arm, and should get some rest, by the way, who is this girl?"  
  
"I don't know." Kenshin said.  
  
"Yeah tell us who you are." Kaoru said.  
  
"Oh well umm my name is Midori Ishida and I'm sixteen.." The girl said. "And who are you all?"  
  
"I am Himura Kenshin." Kenshin said. Midori looked surprised. "Wait...he is Himura.is he really the battsoui? I want to ask..but I can't." They all introduced themselves.  
  
"Well where are you from?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"I'll tell more about me in the morning..I'm tried. Do you know any where I can stay?" Midori asked.  
  
"Well you can stay at the Dojo with us." Kaoru said. "If you like you can become one of my students of the Kamiya Kashien style, now I'll have yet another student!"  
  
"Well err. arigatou, but I can't give you anything in return...oh wait! Yes I could! I could give you one of my paintings to sell." Midori said  
  
"Oh we could use that Midori-san." Kenshin said.  
  
"Perfect! More Hot pot and money for the dojo!" Kaoru said.  
  
"Well the Iijima clan is after my clan.well what's left of my clan, I can't stay with them to long, but I can't tell them yet, I need to sound like I'm going to stay so they don't think I'm suspicious" Midori thought.  
  
So they said good-bye to Megumi soon left and headed home. Yahiko looked over at Midori, he thought she wasn't attractive, she was wearing a red gi- like outfit (a Gi is the kind of outfit people in karate wear, but it had pretty ruffly edges) she had pale skin, slivery, with a tint of green, slanted cat-like eyes and hair, which was purple, yet it was so dark it was almost black which was in two buns, and it was very straight, yet quite messy all around her face. Her face looked almost childish, yet in a strangely distant way. She was about Kenshin's height, and she looked somewhat strong. She also had a very large travel pack on her back  
  
They soon arrived at the dojo and everyone seemed to be getting along. Yahiko didn't say much because he was couldn't believe that Midori thought he was a little weak boy.  
  
"Well good night Kenshin-san, Kaoru-san and Yahiko-chan." Midori said, smiling a little.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME CHAN!" Yahiko yelled.  
  
"Sorry." Midori said, she grinned and said. "It's just your so cute." She patted him on the head.  
  
"N-NANI? Well your not even cute!" Yahiko said angrily.  
  
"HEY! YOU BRAT!" she yelled "Ne-ne!" he taunted as he pulled his bottom lid down and ran around saying "Un-cute!" as she chased him around calling him a wimp.  
  
"Doesn't this remind you of first took Yahiko as a student?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Hai, they already act siblings, de gozaru." Kenshin said. Midori was still chasing him. She soon tripped on a floor board and fell on her face, her legs went over and her foot was on top of her head. Here eyes were rolling around and she looked rather amusing.  
  
"HAH HAH HAH!" Yahiko laughed, he soon fell over from laughing. Midori got up and kicked him.  
  
"Ouch. Why'd you have to kick THERE?" Yahiko asked, crouching over as he walked over to his futon. She smirked and patted him on the sboulder. "That's what ya get." He glared at her as he threw the blanket over himself. They all soon settled down and went to sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sanosuke slammed open the gate and broke some of it. "Heh heh heh, better not let Jou-chan see this." He thought looking at the already falling apart dojo. "Doubt anything exiting will happen today, well unless Kaoru finds out I broke her door." He slowly headed over to the dojo.  
  
" 'Morning everyone." He said  
  
"More like afternoon." Yahiko said chuckling.  
  
"Usarsai." Sanosuke said looking down at him.  
  
"We are getting hot pot today, wanna come?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Sure, but where are you getting the money?" Sanosuke asked. Just then Midori came running out.  
  
"Kaoru-san, Kenshin-san, Yahiko! Here is your painting to sell for hot pot!" She said running with a picture of an Edo castle. Then she tripped again. She looked over at Sano, she was embarrassed, being a klutz in front of someone she found attractive.  
  
"You all right Midori-san?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Heh heh yes, clumsy me." Midori said, luaghing, as she rubbed the back  
of her head.  
  
"Who's this? Sanosuke asked.  
  
"This is Midori Ishida she is Kaoru's new student." Kenshin said "And this is Sanosuke Sagara."  
  
"Hi." Sanosuke said, sounding bored.  
  
"Err Hello! Nice to meet you! I uhh have to go do something!" Midori said covering her very red face and running outside. "I am such a goof! In front of a great-looking guy too!" Yahiko soon came out to get Midori .  
  
"Sano is coming too, is that okay?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Hai, it's fine." She said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So Kenshin who is that Midori girl?" Sano asked when Kaoru, Yahiko and  
Midori were selling the painting, well Kaoru was selling it, Yahiko and  
Midori were arguing, yelling so that some people passing looked at them,  
the were being quite loud.  
  
"She appears to be a painter...but we found her with some thugs and threatened to kill her if she didn't give them a "scripture". She got hurt, and we finished off the thugs.that's why she has the sling. She knocked a few people out, so apparently she is trained in martial arts. She said she'd give us some paintings to sell in order to stay at the dojo. She said her name was Ishida, so she may be part of the Ishida clan I used to know. Hopefully she will tell us a little more about herself today." Kenshin said.  
  
"Hmm, sounds like it may be trouble." Sano said, Kenshin looked over too him and nodded in agreement.  
  
"Kenshin! Her painting sold for more than we thought! We can go get Hot pot another day!" Kaoru said as Yahiko and Midori ran up behind her, still arguing, Midori had him in a head lock and she was yelling something about how he'd never get a girlfriend because he was so rude to ladies. He then told her she wasn't a lady, she was just an ugly girl. She hit him very hard. Kenshin, Kaoru, and Sanosuke luaghed at them a bit.  
  
"Kaoru-Dono, you should put the rest of money towards fixing the dojo, de gozaru." Kenshin said, laughing nervously.  
  
"I know, speaking of damage the gate was damaged SANO!" Kaoru said angrily.  
  
"OI! I didn't mean to!" Sano yelled sounding somewhat annoyed.  
  
"Well you can work around the dojo to make up for it." Kaoru said.  
  
"NANI?!? I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!" Sano yelled, at this Midori and Yahiko stopped their bickering and looked up at him, curious about what was going on.  
  
"Well I don't care, you're going to." Kaoru said. Sano grumbled  
  
"Kuso, I need to be more careful." He thought. They walked for a while,  
Sanosuke and  
Kaoru were arguing, so where Yahiko and Midori, Kenshin just looked  
emmbrassesd, but  
they got to Akebeko sooner then they expected.  
  
"Oh hello everyone!" Tae said. "Oh a new friend? I'm Tae, and you are?"  
  
"Midori Ishida, nice to meet you." Midori said, smiling at Tae.  
  
"Nice to meet you too." Tae said smiling. She led them to a table. Midori  
sat next to Sano, blushing a little as she did this, Yahiko looked over  
at her and snickered at her, she gave him a warning glare.  
  
"Today Tsubame will be serving you." Tae said. "She needs the practice."  
  
"T-tsubame?" Yahiko said blushing.  
  
"Heh heh Yahiko has a little crush!" Midori said.  
  
"Yeah, it's pretty funny." Sano said.  
  
"I bet so." Midori said, resting her chin on the table, smirking at  
Yahiko, in a tuanting way.  
  
"URASAI!" Yahiko said. It was not very long when Tsubame began to serve the hot pot.  
  
"Oh, hello Yahiko and Minna-san." Tsubame said blushing.  
  
"Hi Tsubame." Yahiko said. Sano nudged him grinning. Midori brust out laughing everyone looked at her like she wasn't quite sane.  
  
"Oh Tsumabe, this is Midori." Kaoru said, pointing to the girl who was trying to keep her laughing down a bit.  
  
"Hi Tsuambe, nice to meet you." Midori said still chuckling a bit.  
  
"Hello Midori." Tsumabe said cheerfully. "Well umm I have to go, would you like some more tea? Tsumabe asked.  
  
"Oh yes please." Yahiko said.  
  
"Okay, nice to meet you Midori-san." She said running off with the tea pot.  
  
"Yahiko, you haven't even taken a sip of tea." Kenshin teased. They all laughed. Midori kept on looking over at Sano. "What wrong?" Sanosuke asked, looking at her quizcally.  
  
"Oh umm nothing ah hah hah.. sorry." She said blushing, as she sratched her head.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They all had quite a quiet lunch, they were pretty full, and they found out that Midori, ate quite a bit. So, they said good-bye to Tae and Tsubame, and left to go home.  
  
"Well see you guys later!" Sano said.  
  
"I don't think so!" Kaoru said as hit him over the head.  
  
"OI! What was that for Jou-chan!" Sano said rubbing his head. "C'mon..do  
I really have to?"  
  
"NO! Your fixing that gate!" Kaoru nearly yelled.  
  
"Oh and when we get back Midori-san will tell us more about her self." Kenshin said. Midori looked surprised. "Will they still let me stay?" She wondered.  
  
*End chapter 1*  
  
Notes: Quite crapful ending peeps, oh well, hope ya all enjoyed. Any way, please Review, it would make me very happy! 


	3. Chapter 2 a new mission

Midori looked down at her feet. "Well..." She started, but looked off for a minute."Well let's see I am part of the Ishida clan and the Iijima clan is after my clan. They want this old scripture that somehow is a key to a great amount of power. It has been placed in my hands, because everyone is growing very old in my clan. I don't know much about the scripture and I'm sure you don't want to get involved, so I'll just leave tomorrow." Midori said looking down at her knees.  
  
"We'll help!" Kaoru said. "We've been through a lot."  
  
"Yeah, it will be like when we helped Megumi." Yahiko said  
  
"I'll be alright." Midori said, she didn't sound very convincing though.  
  
"We can do it; we were the one that put sisshio out of power." Kaoru said. "Well it was more like Kenshin and Saito; anyhow Kenshin took a vow to protect people."  
  
"Hai Kaoru-Dono." Kenshin responded.  
  
"Well I umm guess I can but you have to let me fight too! I refuse to be the weak one." Midori said jumping up and doing a hero-like pose and falling flat on her face.  
  
"You in too Sano-san?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Alright, I haven't had a good fight in a while." Sano said smiling.  
  
"NANI? Haven't had a good fight in a while, what a weird guy. Oh well. They really are nice people, but what if they come here? They seem strong.but.wait is Kenshin battsoui?" Midori thought.  
  
"Kenshin, umm.." Midori said nervously "Hai, Midori-san?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Are you well.you know..the." Midori was too embarrassed to finish asking.  
  
"I am the battsoui de gozaru, well formally." Kenshin responded, Midori just blinked and seemed a little surprised, there was a long puase but, it was not long before they decided to get to work.  
  
"Well now that is done discussing let's work on this dojo! Kenshin and I will work on the gate and you three can work inside, and I'll be keeping an eye on you two so you better not slack off!" Kaoru said, pointing to Yahiko and Sanosuke.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kaoru looked up athe afternoon sky, with it's many white fluffy coulds against the light blue backround. She then sighed, she didn't really want to work.  
  
"Hey Kenshin, why don't we take break and go on a walk?" Kaoru asked cheerfully  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin responded.  
  
"The walk we were supposed to go last night!" Kaoru said.  
  
"But Kaoru-dono, we have to do our work." Kenshin said  
  
"They'll never know, there probably fooling off anyhow, so let's go!" She said cheerfully as she grabbed his arm.  
  
"But Kaoru-Dono.." Kenshin began.  
  
"No one will know!" She said winking at him as she opening the gate.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Hey Kaoru hasn't checked on us at all." Yahiko said.  
  
"Hmm strange, I expected to here more noise from them, I mean Jou-chan is pretty loud" Sano said. Midori looked out the window.  
  
"Hey their not there!" Midori said looking surprised as leaned out the open window childisly kicking her legs behind her, she then stood up and grinned "Well I guess they wanted to be alone."  
  
"Yeah, go somewhere more personal, I didn't know Kenshin had it in him." Sano said smiling  
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Yahiko asked, walking over to them, looking confused.  
  
"Oh crap! I forgot about him!" Midori thought "Oh Nothing!" She said waving her hand at him and grinning at Sano.  
  
"C'mon tell me!" Yahiko said.  
  
"No, really it's nothing." Sano said grinning at Midori, causing her to blush a bit.  
  
"TELL ME!" Yahiko yelled.  
  
"Well Sano-san would you like to explain?" Midori asked laughing nervously.  
  
"No way!" Sano said blushing a little. "Hey, since Kaoru and Kenshin aren't here why don't we have a party?"  
  
"A party with three people? That would be lame." Yahiko said. "Now tell me." Sanosuke sighed and turned to Midori. "Will you tell him Midori?"  
  
"NO! Have some male bonding time or something." Midori said looking  
startled, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"What the hell is that suppposed to mean?" Sano asked nearly yelling.  
  
"TELL ME!" Yahiko said jumping on Sano's back, while hitting his head.  
  
"Well, it looks like we are not getting out of this. We can err. both.  
'explain.'" Midori said turnind a little red. After that little "talk"  
Yahiko's face was rather red and he got up and quickly said: "I have to go outside."  
  
"Well that was interesting." Midori said.  
  
"It was kinda funny." Sano said.  
  
"Yeah I guess so." Midori said smiling.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kenshin and Kaoru had walked over to river near all the blooming sukura trees, a few were fluttering about, slowly falling to the ground  
  
"Isn't it nice down here with the Sakura petals in bloom?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Yes it is." Kenshin said smiling as he looked over at the trees. A petal floated on to Kenshin's head."Oh there seems to be a petal on my head." Kenshin said chuckling.  
  
"Let me get it." Kaoru said as she carefully flicked it off his head.  
  
"Thank-you Kaoru-Dono." Kenshin said. All of the sudden Kaoru hugged him. "Kenshin, were helping someone again...don't go away again, it was hard enough on us the first time.." She said "Especially for me." She thought.  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin said blushing. "Well at least let us come with you." Kaoru said hugging him tighter.  
  
"Of course." He said putting his arms around her.  
  
"Well we should go home now." Kaoru said smiling.  
  
"Alright Kaoru-Dono." Kenshin said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They soon arrived home and when they said hello to Yahiko he blushed and ran inside.  
  
"Looks like Kenshin and Kaoru are here, I'm gonna go talk to them." Sano said. As he left a little piece of paper fell out of his pocket. Midori watched him go out side, he grabbed Kenshin around the neck and he seemed to be teasing Kenshin about his little walk with Kaoru,  
  
"What's this?" Midori asked her self as she picked it up. There was writing on the back. It said smiply "Sayo." She flipped it over there was a picture of a happy and friendly looking woman. "Who's this?" Midori asked her self. "Is it Sano's?"  
  
Notes: OMG! I wrote K/K fluff! OMG! AGGGHH! (altough I 3 k/k) Oh well, it was only a tad fluffy, but I almost never write fluff. In case anyone doesn't who Sayo is it was Sano's lover who was only in a few episodes or something like that, and then she dies, she was kinda crapful anyways (hah hah I am mean!) any how R+R! 


	4. chapter 3 attacked!

Chapter 3  
  
Midori stared at the picture of the smiling woman. "Sayo? Who is Sayo?" She thought as she walked outside, she soon crashed into Sano. "Uh sorry." She said. "Oh by the way you dropped this picture." She handed him the picture. Sano took it and kind of stared at it for a while. "What's up with him?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"I have to go now, See ya later everyone." Sano said walking away still looking at the picture. Midori looked down at the ground and rubbed her arm nervously.  
  
"Who was that in the picture?" Midori asked.  
  
"That was Sayo de gozaru, Sano had somewhat of a relationship with her, she was a priestess, but she died not soon after they met." Kenshin said.  
  
"Oh that's sad, I guess he was upset that he almost lost that picture of her." Midori said.  
  
"He normally doesn't act like that." Yahiko said, there was a sinlence for a while.  
  
"It's getting about time to have dinner." Kaoru said. So they all went inside and Kaoru went to cook.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Okay dinner ready everyone!" Kaoru said. Midori smiled and took a lot of food on her plate, and then shoved it in her mouth. Kenshin and Yahiko looked at each other nervously, her smile soon turned into a face fault. Kaoru looked over at her and asked.  
  
"What do you think Midori?" Midori put on a large and smile and said with a mouthful  
  
"Well it uuuhh... good." They ate on for a while and Midori toke it better than some had."Do you want us to help you make dinner tomorrow Kaoru-San?" Midori asked  
  
"Sure, you can help to Kenshin!" Kaoru said. A few hours later they all went to bed and pretty much had a peaceful night.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori woke up to the sound of Kaoru telling everyone that they were going to Akeabo to get hot pot again from Midori's money. Kenshin told her she should put it towards fixing up the dojo, but she said that was what Sano, Yahiko and Kenshin were supposed to do. Midori smiled and got up, she looked through her clothes. "Maybe I'll put my nice kimono on since we are going out today." She thought as she put the cerulean blue Kimono on with the multi-colored obe.  
  
"Ohayo everyone." Midori said coming outside. Everyone greeted her back. "So we're getting hot pot this morning?"  
  
"Yes!" Karou said, Sanosuke entered as Kaoru said this.  
  
"Ohayo Sano-san!" Midori said.  
  
"Morin' Midori." He said  
  
"We are getting hot pot today." Yahiko said.  
  
"Again? Can I come? I'm hungry." Sano said.  
  
"Hai! Of course Sano-san." Midori said smiling.  
  
"Oh good." Sano said. Kaoru wapped him over the head with her wooden  
practice stick.  
  
"OI! What was that for Jou-chan?" He asked angrily.  
  
"You didn't work yesterday after you came with us to Akeabo, if you want to come today, you're working." Kaoru said.  
  
"Well it's up to Midori 'cause it her money, right Midori?" Sano asked getting the angry eyes. Kaoru got the angry eyes too.  
  
"Well Midori gave ME the money right Midori?" Kaoru said. Midori got those fed-up looking anime eyes and said nothing. They fought for a while until Sano decided to come and just "pay" for his food.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Here again everyone?" Tae said looking happy.  
  
"Yup! Hot pot again!" Kaoru said as Tae led them to a place to sit.  
  
"Well here I'll be back in about an hour with your hot pot." Tae said as headed off into the kitchen.  
  
"So did anyone tell you about the woman in the picture yesterday?" Sano asked Midori.  
  
"Hai, I'm sorry to hear that." Midori said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Well this look like the place." A pink haired girl of about seventeen said at the gate of Kaoru's dojo.  
  
"Yeah, but there is no one here." Said a boy of about seventeen also with blue hair.  
  
"Hmm this piece of paper says out to Akeabo, we will just have to wait for them." The girl said smirking, as entered the dojo with the boy behind her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They all ate there hot pot and Sano snuck out quickly as Tae sighed because Sano did not pay again. It was not soon before they all got home.  
  
"Hey do you hear something?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Midori said.  
  
"Well seems they've found us already Kubo." Said a pink-haired girl with a sword as she came out of the shadows.  
  
"Yeah I would have expected Midori to have taken longer, Hoshi." A blue haired boy said. "Kuso! Not you two asses!" Midori said. " Well why don't you just make it easy and give us the scripture?" Kubo asked slyly.  
  
"Well try and get it!" Midori shouted.  
  
"Okay." Hoshi said smirking as she wildly came at Midori. Midori ran into another room.  
  
"So are you fighting us in place of her?" Kubo asked.  
  
"Yeah we are!" Yahiko said.  
  
"You get Midori; I'll deal with these guys." Hoshi said.  
  
"Alright." Kubo said heading to the room, Midori tried to run out but Kubo held her back. Kaoru whacked him over the head, but it didn't affect him much he grabbed her arm and dragged her outside, but she couldn't release herself, so she punched him in the stomach and just barely escaped. Then she ran behind the Kenshin gumi. And Sano blocked him from getting to her.  
  
"I guess it's you and me roster head!" Kubo said.  
  
"SHUT-UP!" Sano said punching him making him stumble backwards. Hoshi face smiled at the thought of an idea."Midori..remember your mother being killed?" Hoshi asked. "You'll have a bloody death like her's expect no one will cry for you." She knew, Midori became weak at those thoughts.  
  
"Shut-up." Midori said.  
  
"And your brother, you watched them get murdered..." Kubo said, cacthing on to what Hoshi was doing.  
  
"Stop it!" Yelled Midori.  
  
"You held their limp soaked bodies..as others around you were also dead," Hoshi said.  
  
"S-stop." Midori said crouching into the corner and covering her ears.  
  
"Dead..bloodly just like you'll be." Kubo said getting her face.  
  
"I see they're mentally torturing her." Kenshin said  
  
"Stop it!" Kaoru yelled as the continued to talk to her. Sano basically beat up Kubo, Yahiko and Kaoru went to go take out Hoshi. It happened quite quickly. Then they went to go check on Midori, she was looking frightened.  
  
"Midori-dono?" Kenshin asked. Midori didn't say anything she just stared ahead of her.  
  
"Oi! Midori!" Sano yelled. She still just stared, she began to breath very heavily "Mamma.Onei-Sama...don't leave." She said beginning to cry.  
  
"Midori!" Kaoru yelled, grabbing her shoulder. She didn't do anything. Sano shook her and she fell over and it had seemed she had passed out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori rubbed her head as she woke up everything seemed a little fuzzy, she looked around and saw Kaoru, Kenshin, Yahiko, Sano, Megumi, an old man and two little girls who all looked worried.  
  
"What's going on?" Midori asked. Then she remembered the flashbacks. "How did I get here?"  
  
"Sano carried you; you had passed out at the time." Kenshin said (You know how he carries people: Kinda just thorws them under his arm ^^).  
  
"Oh." She said blushing a little.  
  
"What happened to you?! We were all really scared." Kaoru asked with worry in her voice.  
  
"Yeah you feeling alright?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Well I had some bad flashbacks and then I guess I passed out." Midori said blankly.  
  
"Sorry to scare you all, sometimes that happens to me." "So Sano carried me over here, why does that make me exited? Why is my heart pounding so fast? I feel kinda lame that someone had to carry me here, I feel wimp, but at the same time happy naze?" Midori thought.  
  
"Well I've gotta go home now, see ya all tomorrow, feel better Midori."  
  
"Thanks Sano-san." Midori said smiling.  
  
"Ooooo Midori!" Yahiko said grinning.  
  
"Don't say anything!" Midori said blushing.  
  
"OOO! You were blushing!" Yahiko said.  
  
"WAS NOT!" she said punching him.  
  
"Who's dat?" Anamaye asked pointing to Midori.  
  
"Midori! Come meet everyone!" Megumi said. "Everyone this is Midori."  
Kaoru said.  
  
"Midori, this is Anamaye, Suzamaye and Dr.Gensei." Kaoru said pointing to them as she said their names. They stayed and chatted for a while, but soon had to go home. Midori still wondering why she was so happy,but angry at the same time, to find out Sano carried her, normally she would have been mad and would have felt idiotic.  
  
Notes: Look like Midori-chan is starting to like Sano-san ^^. Anyhow please please review! Thanks! 


	5. Chapter 4 an ordianry day

It was very sunny outside, Midori looked out the window as she squished her face in her hands. It had been almost a month since Hoshi and Kubo attacked, and she was still thinking about the very incident. "Why am I sill thinking about this? And Sano? Normally I would have felt really pathetic if someone carried me, but I was almost happy to know it was Sano... Naze?" Midori thought. Just then, Yahiko came into the room which Midori was in.  
  
"It's time for breakfast," he said.  
  
"Oh, okay," Midori said, getting up and following him "Ah, Midori no Baka! Stop thinking about the incident !" Just as she arrived at the table, there was no food.  
  
"Grr." she said.  
  
"Oh, hah, hah. sorry, I meant to tell you Kaoru wants you to help her cook this morning," Yahiko said.  
  
"You tricked me. I WAS HUNGRY!" Midori said, irritated. Yahiko just grinned.  
  
"You brat!" Midori said, getting slightly angry now.  
  
"Hey at least I'm not an ugly Sano lover!! Yahiko said.  
  
"NANI?! I don't love Sano!" Midori yelled.  
  
"HAH! You blush when he's around," Yahiko said, laughing.  
  
"So? You always blush around Tsumabame!" Midori teased.  
  
"NO I DON'T!" Yahiko yelled.  
  
"Oh, Midori, can you help me make breakfast?" Kaoru asked as she came into the room.  
  
"Oh, sure," Midori said.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Breakfast is ready!" Kaoru shouted.  
  
"Oh, you're here too Sano. Oh well."  
  
They soon tried everything. "Well, this food seems better than usual." Sano said. "But it's still not that good."  
  
Midori's eye twitched. "Don't insult my food you roster head!"  
  
"OI! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" Sano said, getting up.  
  
"Just eat, okay?" Kaoru said. Sano sat down and grumbled as he continued to eat.  
  
The day went on pretty easily. Of course, Yahiko and Midori argued a bit, but otherwise they trained pretty much all day, and Midori even practiced her martial arts that day.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~  
  
It was pretty late and Sano left to go some. They all set up their beds and went to sleep quickly. Except for Midori who was still thinking.  
  
"Why can't I just get this thought out of my head? I keep telling myself I'm a wimp. but then I'm happy at the same time. Ughh I need to get to sleep." But it was still a long time before she did.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Midori! It's nearly 12 o' clock! Even Sano was up before you!" Kaoru said, shaking the sleeping girl.  
  
"That is not good, de gozaru," Kenshin said.  
  
"Huh? Nani? Oh, sorry. I couldn't sleep last night," Midori said.  
  
"I know why! She was thinking of Sano!" Yahiko said. Sano blushed a little and Midori blushed a lot.  
  
"No I WASN'T!!!" Midori yelled, punching Yahiko.  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin said, blinking.  
  
"Well, we need to get some togu today. We are all out of it!" Kaoru said.  
  
"Oh okay. I'll come too!" Midori said. "Heh, heh, maybe I can get Yahiko back when Tsubame is around."  
  
*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*  
  
"It's such a nice day out!" Kaoru said, looking up at the sky.  
  
"Yeah, it is," Midori said, smiling. It was not very long before they arrived at the Akebeko.  
  
"Oh, hello, Minna-san!" Tae said. "Hot pot again?"  
  
"Actually, we're just getting tofu, Tae-donno," Kenshin said.  
  
"Oh, okay. Tsubame-chan! Come bring some tofu!" Tae yelled to Tsubame.  
  
"Hai!" she said, going into the kitchen, and coming back soon.  
  
"Oh, ohayo, minna-san and Yahiko-kun," Tsubame said, smiling.  
  
"Oh, ohayo," Yahiko said, blushing a bit.  
  
"Yahiko." Midori said, smiling.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Yahiko yelled. "Here, I'll take the tofu." He took it from her and they both blushed. Everyone else started snickering.  
  
"SHUT UP!!!!!!" Yahiko yelled again. They all said goodbye to each other and headed home.  
  
"Here, let me carry the tofu, Yahiko," Midori said. She had only walked for a while until she tripped over a small rock and the tofu fell out of her hands. Fortunately, Kenshin caught it. Just before she fell flat on her face.  
  
"Midori-donno, are you alright?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Hah, hah. sorry 'bout that! Good thing you caught the tofu!" Midori said, getting up.  
  
"You really are very klutzy," Sano said, grinning.  
  
Midori grinned back at him. "Sometimes Sano is rude!" she thought.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
They arrived home after a short walk, and it was time for lunch.  
  
"I'll make lunch today, Kaoru-san," Midori said.  
  
"Oh, really? Thanks!" she said. So Midori went into the kitchen and started to make lunch, and the day went on from there, and everything seemed like it was alright.  
  
Notes: Well, of course, it's NOT all gonna be alright! :: Dun dun dun :: heh heh! 


	6. Chapter 5 a realaztion

            Kubo tapped the side of his face where his scar was. "That damn Midori… getting herself people to help her."

            "I know… but we've been practicing," Hoshi said. "Maybe we will be able to beat them."

            "I don't think so, she's got the former batousai on her side," Kubo said angrily.

            Hoshi's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Is that really him?"

            "Yeah, it is," Kubo said.

            "Well, we will just have to get to Midori when her friends aren't around," Hoshi said smiling, as she leaned on his shoulder. 

Kubo blushed a bit but didn't really say anything about it. "Well, I guess that's what we have to do," he said. "We have to get that scripture."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "Show us your paintings again Midori!" Anamaye said.

            "Paintings! Yay!" Suzame yelled happily.

            "Oh, alright," Midori said smiling as each took one of her hands and they went into the next room.

            "She seems pretty good with the little girls," Dr. Gensei said.

            "Yeah, she does," Megumi said. "What do you know about her?"

            "Not much, she kind of keeps that to herself," Kenshin said.

            "Yeah, she also seems to like Sano," Yahiko said, snickering.

            "Yahiko!" Kaoru said. They all continued their little chat for a while and Megumi, Dr. Gensei, Anayame and Suzamaye decided to go.

            "We want Midori to walk us home!" Suzame said.

            "Okay, I will," Midori said with a cute smile which made her look very young as she walked out the door with them.

            "We need to talk to her, de gozaru," Kenshin said.

            "Yeah, we know barely anything about her," Kaoru said.

            "Well, we _do_ know she likes Sano," Yahiko said smirking.

            "Would you stop that," Sano said, blushing a tad.

            "You're blushing!" Yahiko said, pointing, as he started to crack up.

            "Shut up!" Sano said, getting angry.

            "Ah, calm down you two!" Kenshin said.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "Bye-bye, Midori!" Amamaye and Suzamaey said, hugging her.

            "Bye you two," she said, patting them on the head. "Oh, by the way, here's a small painting I made for you. Bye, Minna-san!" she said as she gave them the painting and began to walk off. They all waved as she went.

            "_I think I'll take a little walk before I go back to the dojo," _she thought. "_I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I first arrived here… hmm, it will be two months in about a week or something like that." _She looked up at the bright blue sky, listening to the birds chirping. "_It's such a nice day out…_" She closed her eyes and let the wind brush against her. All of a sudden, Sano came into her mind. She breathed out heavily. "_Now why am I thinking of him again?"_ She felt herself blushing. "_Nani?" This is weird… do I like him? I mean he is really rude and really lazy but he is gorgeous, but I wouldn't like someone based on looks… but I think I do like him. Naze? Maybe it's because I've known him for a while…. I don't know… this is so annoying. Naze? Oh, what could I do about it? Hmm…"_ Midori only thought for a while, when she came up with an idea. "_I know! I could paint a picture for him… but of what? I know! Sayo… a memory thing, I'm not sure if would come across right, but even if he doesn't like me back… which I don't think he does… I would  still be nice of me to do that. _She smiled. _"But why do I like him? I don't get it. I mean he's rude but that's just his nature. I suppose he's just grown on me… It hasn't been that long… but it's been a while." _She looked up at the sky and decided to go back to the dojo. "_I think I'll ask Kaoru and Kenshin to help me get a picture of Sayo," _she thought. As she entered the dojo, Sano was still there, so she figured she'd ask them later.

            "Konnichiwa, Minna-san," she said cheerfully. They all welcomed her, it was not long before Sano left. He just decided to leave early.

            "Kenshin, Kaoru! I have something to tell you!"

            "Nani?" Kaouru asked.

            "Well… I want to make a painting for Sano… but…" She trailed off.

            "I knew it! You do like him!" Yahiko said.

            Midori blushed. A lot.

            "Oro?" Kenshin said.

            "I want to paint him a picture of Sayo but I'm not sure were to get a picture for reference," Midori said.

            "Oh, that's so sweet!" Kaoru said.

            "Well, I guess you really _do_ like him," Yahiko said.

            Midori glared at him, but was still blushing.

            "I really do think Midori likes Sano-san, de gozaru," Kenshin said quietly to Kaoru.

            "Kai," Kaoru said. "But don't you think it's sweet?"

            "Oro?" Kenshin said as his eyes got all large.

            "Hey, stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Midori said, looking fed up.

            "Oh, heh, heh, sorry! Well, um… I guess we will just have to 'borrow' that picture Sano has of Sayo," Kaoru said.

            "But how?" Midori asked. 

            Meanwhile, Yahiko was laughing. Very hard.

            "HEY! SHUT UP!" Midori yelled. "If you say anything…" her eyes got all scary and Yahiko decided to shut up, for a little while anyway.

            "I don't know how we will do that, but we will figure it out," Kaoru said, smiling. "Oh, this is so cute!"

_            "Ugh… maybe it wasn't such a great idea to tell them all this…"_ Midori thought as a sweat blob appeared on her head. _"They really are nice people, though." _She smiled. "_I just hope he'll appreciate this, even if it doesn't show how I feel."_

Notes: End! Ooo ooo! Midori likes Sano! Wuvness! Um… yeah. Please R+R! I don't' really have much else to say…


	7. chapter 6 a memory

            "Kenshin, how are we going to get that picture of Sayo?" Kaoru asked.

            "Kaoru-dono, are you sure it's such a good idea to take that picture from Sano-san?" Kenshin asked.

            "Well, I don't know but we have to get that picture for Midori," Kaoru said. "Then maybe we can have another little couple around here," she said, hugging Kenshin.

            "Oro?" Kenshin asked. "There's a couple around here?"

            "You and me, you BAKA!" she said, whacking him over the head.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Midori sighed as she lay down. She was still tired and she wanted to go back to sleep, but she figured she shouldn't. As she looked down at her red gi-like outfit, her hair fell in front of her eyes. She hadn't done anything with it today, she just felt to lazy to do much. The sky was gray, and it looked like it was going to rain.

            "Oi! Minna!" Sano yelled as he entered the dojo.

            "Midori looked up. "_Hmm… looks like Sano is here,"_ she thought as she got up and went inside. She noticed that Yahiko, of course, couldn't stop grinning when Midori and Sano were in the same room so Midori took Yahiko into the other room and told him not to say anything, (she threatened to beat him up if he did) but he didn't really listen.

            Soon, Kaoru called them out for breakfast and Midori sat next to Sano. (^_~) Of course, Yahiko snickered at this. It began to pour hard and it continued to be like that all day, and when it became night a storm started up.

            "Well, I should probably go home now," Sano said.

            "In this weather?" Midori asked.

            "Yeah," he said, looking at her like she was odd.

            "Well, you should stay a while longer…!" she said, blushing.

            "It's MY place to say who can say!" Kaoru said, getting slightly angry eyes.

            "Oh, heh, heh… sorry," Midori said, waving her hands in front of her with a slightly nervous expression. 

            "Well… see you guys later!" Sano said, getting up, and headed out the door.

            "Bye, Sano-san! Be careful!" Midori called after him. He just kind of waved at her without looking back.

            Kaoru, Kenshin, and Yahiko all were staring at Midori.

            "STOP THAT!" she yelled.

            "Wow, you know he'd be alright in the storm, he's a tough guy, but you asked him to stay later. Heh. You wanted him to stay the NIGHT, and you wanted him to sleep right next to you!" Yahiko said as he began to laugh.

            "No! That's not true you BRAT!" Midori said, getting the angry eyes.

            "Heh, heh. Yeah, I guess so!" Kaoru said. She looked down at the floor and saw that Sano had dropped his picture of Sayo again. "Oi, Midori! Come see what Sano left!" she said cheerfully. Midori was looking very angry with Yahiko, she had little fire things in her eyes.

            "Nani?" Midori asked, beginning to calm down a little.

            "Looks like luck is on our side! Sano left his picture of Sayo here again," Kaoru said.

            "Oh. Well, let's make sure he doesn't find out I have it. I'd rather not see him angry, but thanks," Midori said. "I think I'll go start the painting right now." She walked off into the next room. _"I really hope he'll appreciate this painting,"_ she thought. She didn't' really work on it for long, because she soon became tired and went to bed, though that night she did not have very peaceful sleep.

_"Mother! Mother!" a little girl yelled. "Don't die!" she screamed._

"Don't worry… she'll be alright, and so will you," a young man said as he tried to fend off the many people fighting with him. 

_"Big brother…" she said, trailing off. She looked down at her_

_            mother. She was bleeding. Soaked, pretty much. "Mother…" she said,_

_            hugging her and crying. All of a sudden, she heard a man scream. She_

_ looked up, and her brother fell right next to her._

_            "BROTHER!" she wailed, crying even more._

_            "Midori-chan, be strong… protect the scripture…" he said._

_            "I don't care about that! I want you to stay alive!" she yelled._

_            He didn't really say anything._

_            "You, too…" she said, hugging him and crying._

_A man approached her, but another man saved her. He walked away_

_ before she could say much._

_"Why didn't you save them?!" she screamed at the man as he continued_

_ to walk. "NAZE?" she screamed and sobbed. "NAZE?"_

With that, Midori woke up screaming, which woke everyone else. Then she began to cry, and she couldn't stop.

"Midori?" Kaoru asked.

"I wonder what's wrong…" Kenshin said. 

She soon cried herself back to sleep, but everyone was so worried about her that they just figured they'd see if she was alright in the morning.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "Midori's sleeping later than usual," Yahiko said.

            "We should let her sleep some more," Kaoru said, looking worried. "I hope she'll be alright."

            "What's wrong?" Sano asked with a fish bone in his teeth.

            "It's Midori…" Kaoru said.

            "Well what happened?!" Sano asked.

            "Last night.. she woke up screaming and then she started crying and couldn't stop. I think she must have remembered something about her mother's or brother's death. I remember she said something about that, de gozaru," Kenshin said. 

            Midori stirred a bit and slowly got up. She rubbed her head and looked up at everyone.

            "What's wrong?" she asked sleepily as she rubbed her eyes.

            "You don't remember?" Yahiko asked.

            "No… wait, did I…" she trailed off, kind of staring into space. They explained what had happened to her.

            "We were all really worried," Kaoru told her.

            "I'm sorry… Sometimes it happens, as I told you. Sometimes I get really bad flashbacks of mother's and brother's deaths. They died when I was very young… And I guess I get a little unstable," Midori said softly.

            "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, de gozaru," Kenshin said.

            "It's alright," she said, looking a little sad. It seemed to be bugging her a little still.

            "Well, I'm going to get dressed, so I'll see you in a little. I probably slept through breakfast. Oh well," she said as she went into the next room. Everyone was just kind of silent for a while, but continued to do what they were doing earlier. At lunch time, Midori looked really tired and a little distant. They all kind of stared at her. She wasn't touching her food, and she normally ate a lot. 

            "Oi, Midori," Sano said.

            "Hai?"

            "You're not eating," he said.

            "Oh, do you want it?" she asked, smiling.

            "No, it's just that you normally eat your food…" he said, looking confused. 

            "Oh," she said, beginning to eat her food slowly. She finished later than everyone else.

            "I'm going to go paint now," she said when she finished, with a weak smile.

            "Midori's been acting strange," Sano commented.

            "Yeah. I guess what happened last night really upset her, Kaoru said. It became later and Sano left, of course Midori came out to say goodbye to him, but she painted until it was time to go to bed, and she showed Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko the painting.

            "Oh, it's nice!" Kaoru said.

            "Yes it is," Kenshin said, looking surprised.

            "It's not finished. Hopefully, it will be soon," she said. They all soon went to sleep and Midori slept a little better that night.

Notes:  Aww…poor Midori, anyhow be nice and REVIEW!


	8. Chapter 7 Hoshi and Kubo again

CHAPTER 7

            It had been a little over two months since Midori had arrived at the dojo. She had almost finished her painting for Sano, and she planned to give it to him soon.

            "Oi, has anyone seen my picture of Sayo?" Sano asked Kenshin and Kaoru.

            "Oh, you've lost it? I haven't seen it, " Kaoru said nervously.

            "Well, if you see it, tell me," Sano said.

            "Oh, yeah. Of course," Kaoru said with a nervous smile.

            Sano looked over at Midori playing with Ayame and Suzame. She was laughing and seemed to be back to her normal self.

            "Sano, what are you looking at?" Kaoru asked.

            "Err…" Sano said.

            "I bet he's staring at Midori," Yahiko said, grinning.

            "No! I'm not," he said, blushing a tad.

            "You're blushing!" Yahiko said.

            "SHUT-UP!" Sano said, getting somewhat angry.

            Midori looked up at Sano and smiled. _"Ah… arguing again. That's just like him,"_ she thought.

            "Midori?" Ayame asked.

            "Hai?"

            "What are you looking at?" she asked.

            "Oh, at everyone," she said, smiling again.

            "Naze?" Suzame asked.

            "Because they are funny," Midori responded.

            "I'm hungry," Ayame said.

            "Me too," Suzame said.

            "Okay, I'll get you something to eat." Midori took their hands and led them inside.

            "Midori-dono, where are you going?" Kenshin asked.

            "I'm going to make something to eat for Ayame and Suzame.

            "You shouldn't feed them any of your food," Yahiko said, grinning. At this, Midori punched him and continued inside.

            "Well it looks like she's back to normal," Yahiko said as he rubbed his head where Midori had punched him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After Midori cooked and served the food, she put the finishing touches on her painting and then put it in another room to dry. Ayame and Suzame soon finished their food and Midori took them back outside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Kubo, Hoshi, come here," a man said.

            "Hai, Turo-sama?" they both questioned.

            "Today, I want to go attack Midori again," he said, smirking. "Now have you been training hard?"

            "Hai, Turo-sama," Hoahi replied.

            "You say the former battousai is with her?" the man asked.

            "Hai, we are going to attack her when she's along, and may I ask one question, Tuo-sama?"

            "I suppose…" the man said rather smugly.

            "Why haven't you been sending out anyone to fight Midori lately, Turo-sama?" Kubo asked.

            "Because the few that come back say they were defeated, and Midori did it single-handed, for the most part. So there Is no use of them. So, you should have a surprise attack on Midori," he said. "Go now and find her."

            "Hai, Turo-sama," they both said respectfully ass whey left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*

            "It was nice of you to watch Ayame and Suzame well I was out. Arigatou," Dr Gensei said. "Megumi had something to do today."

            "I don't mind," Midori said, smiling. They all left with relatively cheerful goodbyes.

            Midori went inside to see if her painting was dry. _"Yoshi! It's dry, now I can give it to Sano," _she thoughtas she rolled it up and held the picture in her hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "I'm gonna get something to eat," Sano said, getting up, and going into the house. As he entered, Midori ran into him.

            "Ahh, sorry, Sano-san," she said, rubbing the back of her head. Sano looked down at her hand, which was holding the picture of Sayo.

            "OI! Why do you have my picture?!" Sano asked, sounding angry.

            "I…" Midori began, losing her words."

            "NANI?" he nearly yelled. "Why would you take that from me?!"

            Midori looked a bit angry. "Before you even let me answer, you get all mad!"

            "Well, of course I'm mad!" he yelled.

            "See? You get too angry! Here, look and see for yourself why I took your picture," she said, looking a little sad and angry at the same time as she threw the rolled-up painting and the picture of Sayo at his head, and then walked swiftly away. "I'm going for a  walk. I'll see you all later minna-san," Midori said with a rather shaky voice.

            "Oro?" Kenshin asked.

            "What's wrong with her?" Yahiko asked.

            "Well… I heard Sano yelling… maybe he yelled at her," Kaoru said. "Well, let's ask." Kaoru got up and went inside, Kenshin and Yahiko following her. They came into Sano staring at the painting Midori had made for him.

            "Sano, so you know what's wrong with Midori?" Kaoru asked.

            "Yeah," Sano said, then he explained what had happened.

            "Don't you feel bad?" Yahiko asked.

            "Well, it's her own damn fault for taking my picture without asking," Sano said.

            "Well, actually we took your picture," Kaoru said.

            "NAZE?" he said, getting angry eyes.

            "She asked us to so that she could make the painting for you!" Kaoru said nervously.

            "I think you should go apologize, de gozaru," Kenshin said.

            "Why should I? Where the hell is she?" Sano asked.

            "You can go find her," Yahiko said.

            "You're the one that upset her!" Kaoru said.

            "FINE THEN!" Sano yelled as he headed out the door, Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko following far behind to see what would happen. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Midori was near the river, practicing her martial art skills. _"He's such an ass sometimes~ I can't believe he's like that,"_ Midori thought as she thrust a very hard punch.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Hoshi and Kubo were walking down the road near the river. They spotted a figure in a red gi-like outfit, with her purple hair in buns.

            "This is easier than I thought," Kubo said.

            "Yeah, but she probably doesn't have the scripture," Hoshi said, sounding irritated.

            "We'll hurt her and then go back to the dojo and find that scripture," Kubo said, smirking.

            "Ah, good thinking," Hoshi said, smiling at him, as she headed toward Midori.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Midori continued practicing until she felt something at her back. She gasped as she came to realization. It was a sword.

            "Took you by surprise, eh, Midori?" Kubo asked. Midori turned around. It seemed like she was going to have to fight again.

            "What the hell are you doing here?!" Midori yelled.

            "You know why we're here, Midori," Hoshi said.

            "Well, you're not getting that scripture!" Midori said, putting up a fighting stance.

            "Hmm… looks like she's ready to fight," Kubo said.

            "I guess so," Hoshi said, running at Midori with her with her sword. Midori dodged it and tried to punch her in the stomach but she blocked. She tried to again but this time, Kubo stopped her.

            "We've been training very hard. You couldn't even come close to beating us before," Kubo said. 

Midori looked at him angrily and managed to wriggle free. Midori ran and came running at Kubo with a punch but he threw her over. She soon got up. _"What am I going to do?"_ she thought. "_Well, I have my wooden practice sword.. it wouldn't do much… but what else can I do?"_ She took the wooden sword and ran at Hoshi. She actually hit her stomach but it didn't hurt her much. This angered Hoshi and she cut her sword in half. "_Damn! What can I do now?!" _she thought. Kubo punched her in the stomach and she stumbled back a bit, then Hoshi threw her against a nearby tree. Midori couldn't get up, and so Hoshi and Kubo headed over to her. "_Damn it!" _she thought as they looked at her and smirked at her. Just then, Kubo was punched in the head. Midori looked to see what it was.

"Oi, don't you think it's a little unfair, fighting against someone when you have a weapon and she doesn't?" Sano said.

Midori sighed. _"Well, it looks like I'll be okay."_

"Oh, it's you again," Kubo said, irritated.

"Yeah," he said, smiling. Kubo ran at him and tried to punch but Sano just dodged it. They ended up fighting for quite a while, and Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko were waiting nearby. Soon, Hoshi looked over at the still unmoving Midori. She went over to her with her sword, but Midori rolled over when Hoshi swung at her. Kaoru, Kenshin and Yahiko decided to help too. The fight went on for quite a while (Yahiko and Kaoru fought with Hoshi.) Kaoru, Yahiko, and even Sano were somewhat hurt from the battle, and Midori could walk, but she had to slowly.

"I'm sorry, minna-san," Midori said quietly. 

"It's alright," Kaoru said, smiling.

"Well, it looks like they'll be down for a while," Sano said, looking down at Hoshi and Kubo's motionless bodies.

"_Maitte… did Sano come here to find me…? Well, he still hasn't said sorry yet,"_ Midori thought.

"Well, we should stop at Megumi's and get your wounds healed, de gozaru," Kenshin said.

"I don't have many!" Yahiko said.

"Well we still should," Kauro said. So they all got up and headed to Megumi's.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Are you alright Hoshi?" Kubo asked when he was able to move again. It was nearly nighttime by then.

            "Yeah, I'm okay," Hoshi said, grabbing his hand, causing them both to blush. "How 'bout you?"

            "I'm  find," he responded. They were both able to move pretty well, so they got up and left.


	9. Chapter 8 a party!

CHAPTER 8  
  
Midori and Kaoru were out shopping, and they were chatting and giggling about various things .( They were mostly being giggly over the guys the liked, but they both pretty embrassed, they faces were both quite pink.) They soon came across Tae. Kaoru and Midori were still talking about Kenshin and Sanosuke, Tae smiled and said "Oh you like Sanoskue Midori?" Midori just blushed and said she had to go home. As she left Tae began to ask how her and Kenshin were doing, Kaoru got a little embrassed, but chattered on about him a bit anyway (she was still kinda giggly.) Yet Tae had some interesting news for Kaoru.  
  
"Kaoru, I have something to tell you! We are having a party at the Akebeako tonight!" Tae said smiling.  
  
"Oh? A party?" Kaoru said.  
  
"Yes, I think it would be fun. Don't you?" Tae said, smiling, looking like she was up to something.  
  
"Can you make it? I know it's short notice. but you can come, right?"  
  
"Hai!" Kaoru said, smiling.  
  
"We'll see you later! Oh, and by the way, what's the occasion?"  
  
"It's Tsubame's birthday," Tae said.  
  
"Okay! We'll be here at six! Bye!" Kaoru said as she took the tofu home.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori looked down at the rice she was cooking and over at Kenshin, cooking fish. "I'm surprised Sano thanked me for that painting I made him, it's really not like him. But he still hasn't apologized. And I'm trying my hardest to make this lunch nice for him. Ahh, Midori you're such a baka." She tasted the rice, and it was done, and it didn't taste bad. All of a sudden, Kaoru came running, looking rather excited.  
  
"Minna! We're going to a party tonight!"  
  
"We are?" Sano asked flatly.  
  
"Who's?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"It's at the Akabeko! It's Tsubame's birthday!" Kaoru said.  
  
"And I think you'd want to come, Sano, there'll be food there."  
  
"Tsubame's birthday.. Oo, Yahiko! What are you going to give her?" Midori said slyly, as she came out with the rice, and Kenshin with the fish. "I don't know." Yahiko said, blushing.  
  
"I'm sure you'll think of something to show your love for her," Midori said, snickering.  
  
"URUSAI!" Yahiko said, getting angry. Midori took the rice over to the table and tripped, but the rice fortunately fell on the table, and didn't spill.  
  
"So, when are we going?" Midori asked, serving herself some rice and fish. "At six o'clock," Kaoru said happily.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Everyone was hurrying to get ready for the party, and it was pretty crazy. Yahiko was scrambling around trying to find a present for Tsubame. Then Midori offered to give him a painting if he paid her. He got rather mad and said he didn't have any money, but she told him next time he did, he'd just have to pay her back. Yahiko didn't really want to but it was the only thing he could do. Midori took this as an insult and just glared at him.  
  
"Let's go, minna!" Kaoru yelled as she grabbed Kenshin's arm. Midori and Yahiko quickly followed after them, Midori was preting like she was Yahiko and saying "Asiteru Tsumabe!" Yahiko and her soon began to bicker, but Kenshin some how manged to calm them down. Midori looked at Kaoru who was sort of blushing as she held on to Kenshin's arm, they were both cahtting and they seemed quite happy. She imagined her and Sano like that, as her eyes got all sparkly. (It was quite funny.) Then everyone looked at her like she was crazy, and she became rather embarrassed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Welcome, Minna-san!" Tae said when Kenshin and everyone arrived. They greeted her back and went in.  
  
"Happy birthday Tsubame!" they all said. Yahiko handed her the painting, causing them both to blush. Soon, many other guests arrived, including Sano, to Midori's delight. Tae saw this and got that creepy glint in her eye. "Does Midori really like Sanosuke? She did say she did early today..." Tae thought. "Maybe I should help out. but first I have to think of something."  
  
Yahikohad been talking to Tsumabe for a while, but other guests arrived, and she had to go greet them. So Yahiko turned to see Midori trying to talk to a slightly drunk Sanosuke, who was contiuning to drink more sake anyhow  
  
"Hey, Midori, ever had sake before?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Of course. But I bet a little boy like you hasn't," she said, crossing her arms.  
  
"I have, too! I'll prove it, too! Let's see who can drink more!" Yahiko said.  
  
"Oh, great. look what I got myself into," Midori thought. "Okay! You're on!" So they poured themselves a few drinks and Yahiko soon felt sick and had to go outside, but Midori was in a bit of a different mood. She stumbled over to Sanosuke. "Hey, *hic* Sano." she said, climbing onto his back. "You look really nice." She smiled rather strangely, as she ran her hands thourgh his hair, causing him to blush, and then fell asleep. Sano put her down, looking somewhat frightened.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" he asked.  
  
"She's drunk, de gozaru," Kenshin said.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," Kaoru said. Midori began mumbling things about Sano, but he had gone over to get some food, so he didn't hear her, but Tae did. "So, she DOES like him. even if she is drunk," she thought."I know! I can have Sano walk her home, and get Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko to go home before them." she smiled and told them her plan as Midori woke up. Midori felt a little sick, but she soon came inside, and went to join Sanosuke, she tried to drink more sake, but Tae stopped her. She looked around only to see that Kenshin and Kaoru were gone. "Awww... how romantic, they want on nice moonlight walk" she thought, even though she was really quite drunk. She then turned back to Yahiko and Sanosuke and joined in with their loud drunkeness.  
  
"Sano-san! When the party is over, would you take Midori and Yahiko home?" Tae asked after an hour or so as she looked at the very sick and sleepy looking Yahiko and Midori. "My plan didn't work out completely... but... oh well," she thought.  
  
"Naze?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
"Because, they're kids and they need someone to walk them home," Tae said.  
  
" Well I suppose I can." Sanosuke said.  
  
"Oh, good," Tae said, running off. The party soon ended, and they all went home. Yahiko had passed out (he drunk more sake) so Sanosuke had to carry him home. Again, Midori got the little vision of her and Sanosuke together, and she blushed. "Stop thinking that, you goof!" she thought as she looked up at Sano again, with Yahiko under his arm, and she sighed a bit. (She was still a little drunk, so she was feeling kinda girly.) She kept staring at him until she looked at her, she blushed a lot and laughed nervously, turning her head in the other direction. They soon got home and put Yahiko in bed. Kenshin and Kaoru were asleep also.  
  
"Well, I should be going home now," Sanosuke said, getting up and heading towards the door.  
  
"It's so late.. you could just stay the night," Midori said, blushing a little.  
  
He stopped walking and blushed a bit too. "No, I'll just go home now."  
  
"Well, goodnight, Sano-san," Midori said, smiling a rather drunk smile.  
  
"G'night," he said as he walked out the door. Midori went to bed and had a long sleep  
  
Notes: Again, crapful end, yeah, hope you've all enjoyed this so far, noe do be kind and Review please! 


	10. chapter 9 things that remind you

Chapter 9- Things that remind you  
  
Midori got up before everyone else, relatively early in the morning. She went to go look for one of her missing paintbrushes in her bag of things, but as she was frantically looking for it she came across two objects that she hadn't thought about in a while: her pin-wheel and a small doll.  
  
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~  
  
Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko looked outside to find Midori sitting and staring at a doll and a pinwheel. Sometimes she'd smile, sometimes she'd frown, but she was mostly staring at them blankly. They asked her if she wanted to eat, but she said she would later. They thought it was one of problems again, so they left her alone; there wasn't much else they could do.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Here you go!" A man said handing a little girl a doll.  
  
"Its clothes are strange." the girl said, looking at it quizcally.  
  
"Oh? You think it's different? That's because it's from China, Midori-chan," the man said, smiling.  
  
"Thank you, father," she said hugging him.  
  
Midori snapped out of her thoughts. "I'm surprised I still have that nice memory of him," she said quietly as she looked down at the doll, letting slide out her hand slowly. Her eyes driffted off to the pinwheel at her side, She picked up the pinwheel and blew on it so it would spin. "Round and round, spin, spin, spin," she said, barely whispering.  
  
"Look, big brother! Look at this round and round, spin, spin!" the little girl said, smiling, tugging on the clothes of the boy near her.  
  
"Oh, yes. How fun, Midori-chan," the older boy said, half smiling, as he was cutting plants with a scythe.  
  
"Big brother?" the girl asked, looking a sad , and a little curious.  
  
"Hai?" the older boy responded.  
  
"Where's father?" she asked. The older boy dropped his scythe.  
  
Midori stopped blowing on the pinwheel. "I don't want to  
remember that. I don't want to remember father." she said to herself,  
but still she couldn't stop thinking about him. She remembered him  
leaving, her brother trying to comfort her mother; Midori remembered  
always waiting for him. but he never came back, he left them alone.  
That's why Midori tried to forget him, but memories don't always fade  
away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Where's Midori?" Sano asked as they all sat down to eat lunch.  
  
"Oh, she's outside, blankly staring at this doll and a pinwheel," Kaoru said. "I hope she's alright."  
  
"I think they reminded her of the past. and she's upset again," Kenshin said looking at Kaoru. Kaoru nodding at him, looking somewhat worried.  
  
"I think I'll take some food out to her," Kaoru said, picking up a bowl of rice for Midori and walking out the door.  
  
"Midori, I thought you might be hungry so I brought you some food," Kaoru said as she looked at the girl who was beginning to paint now, in rather slow almost sad manner.  
  
"Oh, thank you," Midori said quietly, smiling slightly, as she took the bowl of rice from Kaoru. Midori stayed outside almost all day, only occasionally coming in.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kaoru was making a late dinner and Midori actually came in to eat with everyone else, but she went outside after dinner, but when Midori had forgotten something, Kaoru thought that she should have it.  
  
"Sano! Bring this to Midori!" Kaoru demanded.  
  
"Naze?" Sano asked flatly.  
  
"Because, I want you to," Kaoru said.  
  
Sano sighed and took it outside. "Midori?" he asked.  
  
"Hai?" Midori asked sleepily, turing to the man looking down at her.  
  
"Kaoru asked me to give this to you," Sanosuke said, handing the food to her as he sat down.  
  
"Arigatou," Midori said, looking down at her food. Soon after she ate, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, it didn't really take her that long to fall sleep. She leaned over and rested on Sano's shoulder (of course, she did not know she was doing this. She'd be too shy to do this if she were awake. ^_^) Sano blushed a bit and he moved, but he gently put her down, looking at her with her messy hair falling over very pale face. Of course, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko were watching this, and Kaoru threw a blanket out to him and told him to cover Midori. Of course, Sano got mad at them for watching, but covered the sleeping girl anyway, said goodnight to everybody, and left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori woke up to her pinwheel near her head, and she sighed. "It just seems like to much in this past two months, all these unpleasant memories," she though. "What's this?" she thought as she looked at the blanket. "I wonder who put this over me? Oh well. I think I'll go inside and go back to sleep." She picked up her things, and of course the doll and the pinwheel were the last things she picked up. She looked at them for a while, and then went inside to go to sleep, yet she still thought of the things that reminded her of the past.  
  
Notes: What a sweet little Sano/Midori thingy, heh, heh, heh, it was a little too cute, but oh well. Please please please R+R! 


	11. Chapter 10 Hoshi and Kubo's pasts

Chapter 10 - Hoshi and Kubo's pasts...  
  
Hoshi was looking down, in a dark room as she stood in front of Turo, looking rather cold, angry expression on his face.  
  
"I'm very disappointed with you and Kubo, Hoshi." Turo said coldly.  
  
"I'm very sorry Turo-Sama! We will train harder!" Hoshi said bowing.  
  
"Fine." Just don't be so worthless next time..now go!" Turo yelled.  
  
"Hai, Turo-Sama!" Hoshi said quickly bowing, and she left, Kubo was standing outside Turo's throne room.  
  
"So..how'd it go?" Kubo asked looking down at Hoshi.  
  
"Not very well." She said quietly. "He called me worthless..."  
  
Kubo sighed. "Well, that's how he is; sometimes I wish I weren't working with him."  
  
"Worthless.." Hoshi whispered as she blankly stared at the floor.  
  
"Hoshi?" Kubo asked with a bit of concern in his voice.  
  
"I think it's time we tell each other a little bit about our selves, Kubo." Hoshi said looking up at him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Oi! Where is Sano-san?" Midori asked. "He should be here by now!"  
  
"Maybe he went off with another woman..." Yahiko said snickering.  
  
Midori's eye twitched wildly. "He wouldn't do that!" She said angrily. "Kaoru-san! Kenshin-san! Do you know where Sano-san is?" Midori asked.  
  
"No..well wait a sec, I think he said he was going to Megumi to eat lunch today." Kaoru said looking like she trying to remember.  
  
"I'm going to Megumi's too!" Midori said angrily as she stomped out the door.  
  
"See, I told you see really likes Sanosuke." Yahiko said, smiling.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Well I guess I should explain myself......" Hoshi said distantly  
  
"Well alright........" Kubo said looking at her seeming a bit worried.  
  
"Well I never really knew my parents, they died when I was very young. Then I had foster parents, they hated me, at ten they threw me out because they were completely sick of me. I was like there slave or something, they said I was worthless. I was all alone as a child, I was clingy to who ever would accept me. I worked at various places, for about a year, just more rejection, then I went and trained in the way of the sword. Of course, I felt worthless there too, so that's why I feel so awful when people call me worthless..It reminds me of all that." She said sighing as she put her head in hands.  
  
"Hoshi." Kubo said softly placing his hand gently on her back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori looked angry when she knocked on the door which was answered by Ayame, then she nervously laughed and asked if Sano was there, Ayame told her that Sano was indeed there.  
  
"Can Midori stay for lunch too?" Ayame asked.  
  
"Well I suppose." Megumi said. Ayame and Suzame yelled with delight. Midori watched watched Sano and Megumi very closely. "Hmmm.not too much happening between them." Midori thought, she thought as she watched Sanosuke try to take some food, but Megumi hit him. "That's something married people would do!" Midori thought as her eyes go all watery and filled with silly anime tears.  
  
"What's wrong?" Suzame asked, looking up at Midori.  
  
"Oh! Heh heh heh, nothing!" Midori said with a nervous laugh. Lunch was soon ready, and Midori made sure to sit next to Sanosuke, although Megumi sat on the other side of him, causing Midori to watch everything she did.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"As you know, I am part of the Iijima clan." Kubo said, Hoshi nodded slowly. (She was just someone hired buy Turo.) "Well when I was young, our clan and the Ishida clan had a large fight. Right then my whole family was brutally murdered right in front of me, so I have been alone ever since then." Kubo said quietly.  
  
Hoshi hugged him. "Well we are both alone." Kubo looked down at her. " Now I know why she's so clingy, she's been rejected all the time, and now she is being accepted by someone." He thought as he hugged her back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Thanks for the Lunch!" Midori said, smiling and bowing slightly.  
  
"Yeah Thanks." Sanosuke said. "It's no fun having Jou-chan's food every day." They both turned around and headed back to the dojo.  
  
"Well are you staying for dinner tonight?" Midori asked shyly as she began to fiddle with her fingers, turning her away from Sanosuke.  
  
"Yeah, I am." Sanosuke said.  
  
"Good." Midori thought. "Oh, alright." Midori said smiling as they both continued to the dojo, with Midori being happier than she was earlier.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Sesshiro, come here." Turo said, looking down at the man entering the room.  
  
"Hai Turo-Sama?" A deep voice asked.  
  
"In a few days, I want you to go attack Midori." Turo said, in his normal cool tone.  
  
"But Turo-Sama, I thought Hoshi and Kubo.." Sesshiro began to say, but he was interrupted by Turo.  
  
"They failed last time! And I hope you won't, you are dismissed now." Turo said in his normal smug tone. "Oh, by the way Hoshi and Kubo will give you the details."  
  
"Hai Turo-sama!" Sesshiro said turning and bowing. "I have to complete this.I can't lose, Turo-sama must approve." He thought.  
  
Notes: Ack! I devolved the relationship between Hoshi/Kubo! Oh well I guess they have know one another for a while before then. Now, I will be eternally grateful if you review! 


	12. Chapter 11 Sesshiro

Midori looked around at everyone sleeping peacefully. "They defeated Hoshi and Kubo, but what about the others? They'll come. I know Kenshin is the former battousai, but I fear I'll put these people in danger," she thought. "I feel so guilty, but I do need help." She sighed and got up out of her futon. "Well, I could just leave, but then my clan would probably die out. But I can't let them get hurt. So. My clan or my friends?" She shook off the thought and went to make breakfast, just to help out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sesshiro walked down the streets of Tokyo, looking rather menacing. He even frightened some of the citizens. He was quite tall and muscular, and he had a very piercing stare. He looked down and read the piece of paper with directions and notes from Hoshi and Kubo. "So, Midori has friends. Well, I'll try to get here while she's alone," he thought as he continued on.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Everyone woke up to the smells of food.  
  
"Is it ready yet?" Yahiko asked sleepily. "I'm hungry."  
  
"Well, why don't you come help me if you're so hungry?" Midori asked, getting irritated. "Hmm. I need some help." She grabbed the back of his shirt while he yelled at her. She pretty much demanded that he work, and they just ended up fighting. Kenshin stepped in soon and finished cooking breakfast, leaving Yahiko and Midori rather surprised. After they had breakfast, Midori went for a walk. She was going to the nearby shrine; it didn't take her very long to get there.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sesshiro sat down at a small ramen restaurant. "Some ramen with chicken, please," Sesshiro said rather flatly.  
  
"Hai!" the waiter answered, looking rather nervous. Everyone else seemed to be a little nervous, too.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori closed her eyes and silently asked for protection for her new friends. She opened her eyes and looked to the side of her, only to see Sanosuke. "Now Why is he here?" Midori thought, looking at him quizzically. She listened to what he was saying; it was something to do with better luck with gambling. She laughed a little, she found this rather amusing.  
  
"That's on add thing to ask for," Midori said once he was done.  
  
"Well, I really need better luck," he said defensively.  
  
"That's just like you," she said, smirking.  
  
"Oi! That's not very nice!" Sano said, sounding irritated. Midori looked at the fishing pole on his back.  
  
"What's that for?" she asked, squinting at the pole.  
  
"I'm going fishing. I need something to eat for dinner," he said, looking at the squinting girl.  
  
"Oh," she said, She really didn't have much else to do. So she decided just to follow him, anwyas, she liked to be around him as much as possible.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sesshiro got up and left the ramen restaurant and walked off to the Kamiya dojo, looking all formidable to the people walking on the streets of Tokyo. When he arrived at the dojo, he only saw a girl fighting with a younger boy, and a man with an X-shaped scar on his cheek. That little man was the former battousai? The man looked at Sesshiro peeking through the gate as he swiftly moved.  
  
"What's wrong, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, looking over at Kenshin who was still staring at the gate seriously.  
  
"There may be someone near. We should be careful, de gozaru," Kenshin said to the surprised-looking Yahiko and Kaoru.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori looked over at Sano and blushed a bit. "Damn it, Midori! You're acting like such a baka!" She thought. She was too shy to say anything to Sano, so she just kind of sat there and watched him while he was fishing. But, a bit later, she finally found something to say.  
  
"Sano-san, why don't you bring the fish over to Kaoru's? I'll cook them," Midori said, with a yawn.  
  
"Well, I haven't caught that many, so I don't think they will be enough," He said, looking over at Midori, he then grinned and said;"Especially with how much you guys eat."  
  
"HEY!" Midori yelled, shooting a fierce look at him. Sano smirked, she was such a spazy kid sometimes.  
  
"Anyhow, how are you gonna cook them?" Midori asked.  
  
"Well, I uh." Sano stumbled for words.  
  
"Well, I guess you'll have to share them," Midori said, smiling, seeming proud of her self, so she marched off to the road, walking back towards the dojo.  
  
He sighed and followed her, first collecting his fishing pole and fish. "Looks like it."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sesshiro slumped down against the nearby wall and sighed. "Did Hoshi and Kubo give me the wrong directions? They are bakas, but did they give me the wrong directions?" he thought to himself. He drew his sword half-way out of his sheath, letting it gleam in the sun a bit, but he swiftly put it back in. He looked up to see a girl with purple hair. She was standing next to a rather tall, strong-looking man in a white and black outfit. "That's Midori, isn't it? It is. I suppose that's her friend." he thought, frowning, as he looked at Sano. "Well, I can surely beat that guy anyhow," he thought as he carefully snuck around in the shadows so that they wouldn't expect him.  
  
Sesshiro swiftly moved behind Midori and drew he sword. He placed the tip gently against her back so that it did not stab her but just touched her lightly. Midori gasped a little and swiftly backed away from him before he could move his sword.  
  
"What are you doing?!" she yelled. He moved near her, but she kept her distance from him.  
  
"The scripture, of course. So why don't you just give it up so that we don't have to fight?" Sesshiro said coolly, as his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Don't think so!" she yelled angrily.  
  
"Well, looks like we'll have to fight, then," he said, turning to Sano. "I'm fighting you, right?  
  
Midori looked a little fed up and fairly angry. "Hey, what about me?"She yellled.  
  
Sesshiro walked over to her and threw her against the wall, wchich made her unable to fight.  
  
Sanosuke looked over at Midori, seeming a little worried, he then punched Sesshiro, but it didn't seem to affect him much. "Yes, we are fighting," he said, looking somewhat mad.  
  
"Well, alright then," Sesshiro said. At this, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko came running out to see what was going on, only to see Midori unable to stand up for the moment and they rushed over to her, only to see Sanosuke fighting with a rather strong looking man.  
  
"Midori, are you alright?" Kenshin asked, beding down next her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, trying to get up. "Man, what a jerk that guy is! Now I can't even fight," Midori thought. Then she looked up to see the very swift man slash Sano's side, him stumbling back a bit and then Sesshito hitting him in the back of the neck, knocking him out. This caused everyone to be in shock, and they were surprised that Sano was beaten to easily.  
  
"Sano-san!" Midori said, sounding very upset, almost yelling, as she and Kenshin-gumi went towards him. Sesshiro walked behind Kenshin.  
  
"Now it's me and you, battousai!" Sesshiro said, smirking.  
  
Notes: :: dun dun dun! :: Oooo Menacing! Well, anyway. Please review. NOW! 


	13. chapter 12 Bloody Sukura

Chapter 12 - Bloody Sukura  
  
Kaoru, Yahiko and Midori all looked over to Kenshin and Sesshiro staring each other down, they all seemed to be concerned to some extent.  
  
Kenshin almost glared at Sesshiro. "I am going to ask you to leave and go unharmed, de gozaru."  
  
"Do you really think I'd do that?"He asked widly, as he charged fiercly at him.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Sano-san!" Midori said with worry in her voice, as she shook him.  
  
"Don't worry, he can take a lot." Yahiko said, looking over to her.  
  
"Yeah but." Midori slowly trailed off as she looked at his bleeding wounds. "These wounds are really bad, I'm getting some bandages." She swiftly went off to get the bandages. "Just hang on a while Sano.I know you'll be okay."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kenshin dogded Sesshiro's charge, though he almost hit Kenshin. Yahiko and Kaoru seemed quite surprised by this, as Midori ran over to sanopsuke with the bandages, she glanced over to Kenshin fighting with Sessshio. "I hope everyone will be okay." She thought. "If not, it will be all my fault." she looked sadly down at Sanosuke bleeding, she shakly wrapped the bandages around his wounds. "Stop thinking about everything being your fault for now! You need to help Sano!" She thought as she wrapped the bandages somewhat steadily.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sesshiro had come quite close to hitting Kenshin, but he was quite irked that he hadn't. So he mustered up all his strengh, and charged towards Kenshin, and he ended up hitting his shoulder. Kenshin certainlly had gotten much worse wounds before, but they still couldn't take his wound lightly. Kenshin grabbed his shoulder and continued to fight. Kaoru, Yahiko and Midori were in even more surprise, and they were even getting worried, espically Kaoru.  
  
"I hate to admit it, but that guy is pretty good." Yahiko said, almost in shock.  
  
"Yeah, I know." Kaoru said sounding worried. Sanosuke began to stir a bit, just blinking a bit, looking up at all the worried looking people around him.  
  
"Sano-san, are you all right?" Midori asked very quickly, as he looked up at her upset face.  
  
"Yeah." He mubbled. "So how's kenshin doin' with that guy?"  
  
"Well he got hurt." Karou said shakily, Sanosuke looked over at Kenshin fighting with Sesshiro.  
  
"He'll defeat him."Yahiko said with confidence in his voice, Kaoru barely nodded. Í"Kenshin..be careful." She thought, she couldn't stop thinking about him at the moment, but her thoughts were soon intrupted.  
  
"Sano-san! You shouldn't try to get up!" Midori said trying to make him get back down.  
  
"Oi! I'll be fine!" He said getting up with diffculty, then stummbled around.  
  
"Well if you gonna be so stubbron, at least let me help you!" She said slidding her arm behind his back, as put his arm over her shoulder. "Let's take you to Megumi's." She said giving him an unsually detrimened look. "Make sure Kenshin is alright! I don't want anone to get injured!" She said as she walked off with Sanosuke, carefully. Sesshiro swung at Kenshin vicously, Kenshin blocked all of this for a while, but he got hit again, but this time it was worse.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori looked at Sanosuke's wound, the blood began to seep thourgh the bandages. Midori began to get flashbacks again, she stummbled backward a bit. "Stop thinking about that right now! This isn't the time!" She tried to stop, but the memories just continued to come back She stummbled and fell.  
  
"Oi! Are you alright?" Sano said trying to get her back up, which didn't excattly work. Considering he was having a hard time walking.  
  
"Yeah..Gomensai." She said putting her arm behind his back again, with a bit of a quiver in her voice. "Gomen..."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Well Battosoui, you are hurt." Sesshiro said cooly. Kenshin breathed heavily, yet he charged at him and hit him in the back, which caused him to fall over slowly, knocking him uncouincous.  
  
"Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled running over to Kenhin. "We have to get you to Megumi's! I'm so gald your alright." She hugged him almost sobbing. Kenshin looked rather surprised at this, but he gentlely laid his hand on her back, she looked up a him sobbing a little, he smiled a little and said. "I'm alright, de gozaru." She smiled a little bit too, and her put his other arm around her back, bringing her into a tighter embrace.  
  
"C'mon! Enough with the mushy stuff! We have to get Kenshin to Megumi's!" Yahiko said interupting their little hug.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After a while, Seshiro opened his eyes and looked up at the sky, a sukura petal floated down onto his face, blood from his minor wounds got on the pink petal. "Bloody sukura." He said looking sentimental, and yet sad.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"He fell asleep, he'll probally get back up in a couple hours, so let's let this oaf rest." Megumi said putting a blanket over him. Midori nodded and sloppily placed her self next to him. She wacthed him sleep, oddly he seemed quite peaceful at the moment.  
  
"Oh Dear Ken! Your hurt, come quickly, I will tend to your wounds." She said, barely audiable to Midori who had here mind on someone else. She touched his hand, and sat there looking at him. "All this is because of me." She thought glancing over a Kenshin getting his wounds healed, as Yahiko and Kaoru wacthed closely. "I hate this.life gets so strange.I guess life is not meant to happy for some people. but still." She thought turning her head downward. She stroked her thumb over Sanosuke's hand. Megumi looked over at Midori.  
  
"Hmmm.looks like Midori likes Sano! OHH HOO HOO HOO!"  
  
"Well.I'm.just worried." Midori said, turning her head.  
  
Yahiko laughed. "Oh we all know you do."  
  
Midori blushed and gave him a glare that said "Urusai!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A man stood with a girm expression on his face stood in front of another man, who looked very upset.  
  
"What? There dead?" The upest-looking man yelled at the other. the other man nodded. "I don't belive you!" He said tearing thourgh the town towards his home, the other man following behind. The man was running out of breath, when he got to his house. He voilenty threw open the door. "Sukura?!? Kenichi?!?" He yelled "SUKURA?!? KENICHI?" he bloted into the next room, only to see two bloody bodies of a woman and child on the floor. The man screamed, falling to the floor in disbeilef, he began to cry, not able to stop. Soon the other man kneeled down next to him.  
  
"It must be hard on you,losing your wife and child, I know." He said sympathically.  
  
"Turo.the Ishida clan did this.just because my wife is part of it." He yelled madly, still in tears.  
  
"Yes, I am part of it to you know, the clan has hated each other for such a long time, Sesshiro." He said looking down at the sobbing man.  
  
"I hate the Ishida clan! I want them all dead!" He said furiously, as he stood up.  
  
"Well we can kill all of them.." Turo said.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Sesshiro blinked, as he looked at the petal again. "Turo, he was the only one that helped me get revenge on the Ishida clan.That is why I wanted to complete this one simple task he gave me.and also for Sukura and Kenichi." He thought, drifting back to somewhat happier memories...memories he wanted to rember, as he let a gust of wind take the petal out of his hand.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko had already left, they said that they wanted to start dinner soon, but Midori wanted to stay a bit more. Sanosuke began to stir a bit, he slowly open his eyes looked up at Midori, looking down at her knees, with her bangs in front of her eyes  
  
"Oi Midori. Ya' alright?" He asked looking at her quizcally."  
  
"Mmnn." She mubbled, barely audiable.  
  
Sanosuke felt a soft stroke across his hand, so he looked down toward his hand. "Oi, Midori.." He said with a slight blush.  
  
Midori looked at what he was talking about and she immedatly removed her hand. "Oh Gomen! I was umm.err. checking your pluse! Yeah! That's it!" She said with a nervous little laugh.  
  
"Your kinda strange Midori." Sanosuke said looking down at the embrassed looking girl, as he pushed him self up, he began to walk away.  
  
"Sano-san! You should'nt try and get up right now! Oi chotto Maitte! What was that about strange?" She said following him as he headed out the door. They both walked to the dojo, with the sky beginning to get dark.  
  
Notes: Yaaaaayyyyy..umm yeah, got nutin' to say so R+R Onegai! 


	14. Chapter 13 Scripture

Chapter 13  
  
"Why couldn't you save them too? Naze? NAZE?"  
  
Midori woke up. "Not that dream again." She thought. A memory of the man who saved her drifted back to her. She never really saw who he was. "Who was that?" She thought to herself. She sighed. "Better not dwell on it to much." She slowly got up and folded her beddings carefully, yet clumsily at the same time. "Maybe I'll go visit Sano today." She got walked sleepily towards the door as she looked over to Kenshin and Kaoru asleep. They were cuddling each other, smiling, they looked very cute together, she smiled, happy that they were together. So she got dressed sleepily and left a note saying were she was going out.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sanouske opened his eyes slightly and looked up at the ceiling. He shook his head and looked slightly irritated. "Now why the hell I am I recently thinking of someone I've know for about four months now? Why am I thinking of Midori so often?" He thought to himself. "And why all of the sudden?" He shook his head and tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't. So he just decided to get up and go to the dojo  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
No matter what, Midori kept on wondering about the man that had saved her as a child. She was so off in her thoughts that she aimlessly walked into someone, causing her to fall and to drift back to reality.  
  
"I'm such a klutz! Gomenasai!" She said rubbing her side.  
  
"Yeah, you are a klutz." A familiar voice said.  
  
"Hey! That's not very nice!" She said, getting up and brushing her self off, as she looked up at the grinning Sanosuke.  
  
"What are you doing out here?" He asked, helping her back up.  
  
"I uhh came to.ummm, well err go on walk! Yeah! That's it!" She said blushing a slightly.  
  
"You sure are strange sometimes Midori." Sanosuke said, shaking his head  
at her.  
  
"Well so are you!" She teased. "Any way, where are you headed?"  
  
"I'm just goin' to the Dojo." He said  
  
"Well I guess I'll head back with you." Midori she said cheerfully as she followed close behind him. She drifted back to the memory of the man who save her..he had a high ponytail.and red hair.. "Sounds almost like Kenshin." She thought as her ice-blue eyes widened in suprise"But it can't be.or could it? I have to find out!" She brust into a sprint and began to run back to the dojo.  
  
"Oi! Midori!" Sanosuke yelled after her.  
  
"Gotta get to the dojo quick!" She yelled, Sanosuke stood there for a few seconds and looked surprised, but then he ran after her.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I wonder how long Midori will be gone for." Kaoru said.  
  
"Well she went to visit Sanosuke right?" Yahiko asked grinning. "She'll  
be a while." Just as Yahiko had finished talking, Midori threw open the  
door, panting, with Sano right behind her panting a bit too. "Well looks  
like you two were pretty rough with each other." Yahiko said grinning.  
  
"Keep your dirty thoughts to your self Boy-Chan!" She yelled, getting him punches from both Sano and Midori.  
  
"You know, we never really should have had that talk with Yahiko." Midori said quietly to Sanosuke.  
  
"Yeah, I know." He said.  
  
"Why are you back so early?" Kaoru questioned her.  
  
"I have something to tell all of you!" She said, almost gravely. "Now lets all sit down." They all scrambled to sit down, due to the serious tone, and looked at her waiting for her to speak.  
  
"Well...it's about the scripture." She said, her face downcast. "I never really told you much about it, but I think now is the time, anyhow, the scripture tells how to obtain some kind of treasure the two clans have been fighting over for hundreds of years, supposedly, it belonged to one of our clans, and they are still fighting about it. It used to be for the treasure, but I think it's just turned into one senseless fight! I know the Iimjia clan will stop at nothing to get this, they'll kill my clan and even all of you! I want to leave you all out of this." She said quietly "I don't know what to do."  
  
"Don't be a baka!" Sanosuke yelled "Don't you know how powerful Kenshin is? He'll be able to defeat any of those guys."  
  
Midori looked up at Sanosuke, a little dumbstruck. "Well I." she mumbled, turning her head to the side. "You don't know how powerful they are!"  
  
"You need to have more confidence in Kenshin, Midori." Kaoru said calmly, patting her on the shoulder.  
  
"I know they are very powerful, de gozaru." Kenshin said. "I once battle many of Turo's underlings." Kenshin said.  
  
Midori looked shocked. "So you're the one that saved me as a child?" She asked with awe (even though she thought it could have been him, it still shocked her to know this.) in her voice as Kenshin nodded. "Anyhow, I don't really think Turo is after the treasure..and I intend to find out what exactly he is after, de gozaru." Kenshin said solemnly. "They are very powerful, so we do need to be careful."  
  
"Of course we are all coming too!" Yahiko said. Kenshin nodded. Midori just sat there, staring of into space, so much had happened to her in the last few months. She didn't know what to think of all this.  
  
"See! We're all here to protect you, so you've got nothing to worry about now!" Sanosuke said folding his arms over his chest.  
  
"Yeah." Midori said quietly, looking up to his dark brown eyes, which seemed be a bit irated with her as well. The day went and nothing much happened.. but Midori was still very worried for her friends. Sanosuke left soon after dinner, and was on his way to his own home, thinking about Midori again, but he didn't know why.  
  
Notes: Woo-hoo! This fanfic is the longest one I've ever written so uhh yay! Any how please review! I need feed back! Constructive criticism is welcome too 


	15. chapter 14 thinking of you

Chapter 14  
  
Midori looked out at the heavy rain smacking against the window. She leaned her head to one side and sighed, she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders and looked over at the still sleeping Yahiko, and Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke all talking. She looked at Sanosuke for a few minutes, and then looked out window, almost drearily.  
  
"Midori." Kenshin called.  
  
"Hai?" Midori asked, turning slowly towards them.  
  
"We've decided to go to Turo's place, and battle him, is that alright with you?" Kenshin asked, Midori barely nodded, looking all gloomily out the window again.  
  
"But maybe I should just go.." Kenshin said quietly. Midori turned quickly and stood up, the blanket still wrapped around her. "Do you really think we will let you do that?"  
  
"Yeah! We're coming with you!" Yahiko said, Sanosuke nodded in agreement, and Kaoru grabbed kenshin hand, nodding also.  
  
"Well I suppose we'll all leave tomorrow, de gozaru." Kenshin said.  
  
"Yeah." Midori said distantly, looking somewhat sad. Sanosuke over at Midori looking quite distant and sad. "Don't worry Midori, we will protect you." He thought as he watched her moping.  
  
"I think I'll go pack now.." Midori said getting up slowly from where she had been sitting, going into the other room. She slowly slid the door behind her, placing herself in front of her things sighing. She flopped her self down on her futon. "Sano-san.I doubt he knows how I feel.well it doesn't really matter, not everyone can be happy."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sanosuke looked over at the room, which Midori was in. "Midori's been acting a little strange lately."  
  
"Well she's been going thourgh a lot, de gozaru." Kenshin said, turning his violet eyes toward him.  
  
"Yeah." Sanosuke said.  
  
Yahiko chuckled at this. "Geez, you really do like her! Your acting all strange about her."  
  
"Urasai, kid." Sanosuke said flatly.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori rubbed her eyes, as she finshed packing her last things into her travel pack. "I'm tired, I'm going to sleep early, we have a long journey ahead of us.." She thought as she threw the blanket over her, she almost instantly went to sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"We should have dinner and get to sleep early de gozaru, oh Sano-san, you can stay here tonight, so we don't have to come get you tommorow." Kenshin said  
  
"Okay Kenshin." He responded.  
  
"Oh Sano, you can sleep right next to Midori .. Or.heh heh.In the same bed!" Yahiko said, laughing, which got him a punch from Sanosuke.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Soon after dinner everyone went to bed, and they all fell asleep quite quickly, expect for Sanosuke, who was still somewhat awake. He turned on his side so that he was facing the sleeping Midori, she had her blankets askew from her messy sleeping, and she was snoring a bit. Sanosuke smiled and chuckled a little a sleeping girl. He saw her wince a bit from the slightly cold air. So he wrapped and moved her messy hair out of the way the way, so he could tuck the blanket under her chin, watching her for a few minutes. He thought her face looked troubled, but childish at the same time. He just stared at her for a while, and then turned over and went back to sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori woke up early in the morning, it was still dark out, she turned to see Sanosuke's bare back, causing her to blush and smile a bit. She looked at the wound Sesshiro had left on his side; she gently placed her hand on it. "This is because of me." She thought as she pressed her self against his back. "What the hell I am doing?" She thought, she yawned, falling back asleep, just like that. Later on Sanosuke rolled over so that her face was his chest. He also threw his arm over her, of course not knowing what he was doing ^^.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori woke up earlier than everyone, she looked at the arm over her, and blushed. "S-Sano!" Midori said too loudly, waking him, and everyone else.  
  
"OI! What was that for? Why'd you have to wake." He said trailing off, looking down at half-nervous half-pleased blushing girl, pressed up against him, he then looked where his arm was, and blushed too, and jumped back quite a bit.  
  
"Eww! What were you two doing?!?!" Yahiko yelled  
  
"You Hentai! We have our clothes on!" Midori yelled smacking him. "Oh.I wish we'd wake up like in each others arms every morning." She thought getting a rather stupid lovesick expression on her face. The expression on her face grossed him out even more.  
  
"Well you could have done something before I woke up." Yahiko said  
  
"Urasai, Yahiko." Sanosuke said. "Strange, I wasn't really upset when I woke up this morning.what I am I saying?" He thought shaking his head. Kenshin and Kaoru chuckled at this.  
  
"Well, we should be going soon, de gozaru." Kenshin said shaking off his chuckling.  
  
"Yeah, Let's get something to eat first." Midori said walking out of the room to get dressed.  
  
"You really do like her, don't you Sano?" Yahiko asked chuckling.  
  
"No I don't!" Sanosuke said angrily, as he turned his head and blushed, they all chuckled at how obvious he was.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They were all hurrying and scurrying around to get ready to leave after they had eaten, which didn't take too long. Yahiko was already out the door, while everyone else was dragging behind. "C'mon you guys!"  
  
"Yeah were comin'." Midori said as walked out the door, everyone following her. Following her on a new journey.  
  
Notes: Blehca stupid ending to this chappie, but it finally seems Sano like Midori so umm WoOt.uh yeah sure, anyhow R+R! 


	16. Chapter 15 The start of the journey

Chapter 15 - The start of the Journey  
  
It had been about a day since thay had all left the dojo. They had just come to a small city. Nothing had really happened on their short trip.  
  
"They're taking a long time to get our food ready." Midori said thursting her elbow down on to the table, as she yawned quite loudly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm hungry." Yahiko said, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Guess we'll just have to wait." She said slouching on to the table, her eyes almost closed. "Hmmm.Everything has been different now." She thought as she looked at Karou pouring Kenshin some sake, and Yahiko getting teased by Sanosuke. She smiled at them, in a strange, almost forced way. Just then some food was palced down right in front of her.  
  
"Oh! Food! Arigtou!" She said happily as she bowed back at the waitress, she began to shove the food down her thoart, getting looks from some people in the resteruant. The Kenshin gumi chuckled her a bit.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I'm so full!" Midori yawned, rubbing her stomach. "And tried."  
  
"Well, we should find somewhere to stay." Kaoru said, Midori nodded sleepily in agreement. They all walked for a while only to find a small inn, but they diecied to go in anyway.  
  
"Konchiwa, Minna-san!" The female Innkeeper said cheerfully. "Oh, I have the perfect room for you all! It's for two sets of couples! I'll go get it ready!" She ran off before they could say anthing.  
  
"Hey!?! What about me?" Yahiko asked, sounding quite irked.  
  
"C-c-couples?" Midori said nervously, her face red.  
  
"Oi, we can ask for another room." Sanosuke said.  
  
"Yeah." Midori said as the Innkeeper came back.  
  
"Okay Minna-san! Your room is ready." She said happily.  
  
"Umm.do you have any other rooms?" Midori asked quietly.  
  
"No, Gomenasai!" She said shaking her head.  
  
"Well, is there any other Inns around here?" Midori asked.  
  
"I don't think so.Gomen!"  
  
Midori turned to the Kenshin gumi. "Looks like we'll have to stay here."  
  
"Hai." Kenshin said, everyone (expect Yahiko, who looked grossed out.) was blushing. The girls, however looked somewhat more pleased.  
  
"Don't do anything I don't wanna see!" Yahiko said running into the room.  
  
"Just be quiet, you." Midori said glarring at Yahiko, as she and the rest of Kenshin gumi followed him in. They entered the room to find two sets of futtons. Sano's and Midori looked relived to see there were four seprate futtons. So Sanosuke and Midori separted the tow futtons, while Kenshin and Kaoru just left them side-by-side. Midori thought they were cute together.  
  
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"I dunno.on the floor?" She asked as she shurrged.  
  
"I guess so, but I don't see why I have too. Any way.I'm sleeping in between you two! I don't wanna see what I saw last time you two sleept near eachother." Yahiko said, looking a bit annoyed.  
  
"Yahiko, your such a gross boy-chan sometimes." Midori said tuninge her back to him, as she blew out the lattern, seeming to tell everyone it was time for bed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori listened to the heavy breathing of her friends, as she lie awake. She was somewhat sleepy, but she just couldn't seem to get to sleep, too much was on her mind. She was about to go battle her foes, with her friends in danger, feeling upset that she couldn't really protect them, and the person she had strong feeling for. She sighed, bit her lip and made a fist, pushing her fingers into her palm, almost making them bleed. As she stopped, she looked out the small widow at the couldy night sky "Does he even know how I feel for him?" She turned to her other side, and looked over the little boy, at Sanosuke. "I doubt he does.Nevermind returning my feelings.Damn, I'm acting all dramatic again.I've been acting so strange lately.oh well I really need to get to sleep now." She thought as she curled up on her futon burring her in self in the blankets.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori was the first one to get up in the morning, even though she was still quite sleepy. She looked over to Kaoru sleeping with her arms around Kenshin, with Kenshin's hand placed on her back, she smiled at them. She didn't need to change her clothes, because she had slept in them. She put up her hair, and silently waited for everyone else to get up. Which didn't take long considering Yahiko had rolled over, and was snoring loudly in Sanosuke's ear, Which caused him to trun over and smack Yahiko over the head. They then began to bicker, waking Kenshin and Kaoru up, form their rather cuddly sleep. Midori chuckeled at all the comoition.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was foggy outside, and a bit cold and damp. Midori yawned as she dragged behind Kenshin gumi, it was too early for her.  
  
"You really are slow today Midori." Yahiko teased.  
  
She looked over at him and said "Urasai, Yahiko." They continued to travel, and nothing really happened that day.  
  
Notes: Icky ending. Well this chapter was kinda boring.. Oh well, any how, Please please PLEASE Review! 


	17. Chapter 16 Don't leave

Chapter 16 Don't Leave  
  
Midori sighed, it had been about a week since they left the dojo, and she was already quite tired. They hadn't really come across any major promblems, only things like having to sleep outside a couple nights, and things like that.  
  
Midori streched her arms. "Hey, it's getting kind of late, can we settle down for the night?"  
  
"Why don't we walk for about another hour?" Kenshin asked. She grummbled, but she nooded her head in agreement. She put her hands behind her head and looked up at the sun setting in the sky, she wished she could have painted it then, but she knew she couldn't. She then looked over to her friends, to she Karou and Yahiko arguing, and Sanosuke and Kenshin diccusing something She sighed and looked back up at the sunset. An hour had passed quicker than Midori thought it would. Kenshin told everyone it was time to settle down for the night. So they all got off the road, got out their blankets, and started a fire. Midori plopped her self down on the ground, and threw a blanket over her, going to sleep for a while. So everyone chatted quietly as she slept.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori tossed and truned a bit, pulling the blankets over her ears. She she woke up, she wasn't really tired any more, but she flet sorry making all her friends do so much for her. So she stood up and looked at the dying fire."I'm gonna go get some fire wood." She said heading over to the road, which lead over to the woods. "I'm just a promblem for them.I'm leaving tonight.I should'nt have made them come this far." She thought to her self.  
  
"Oi, Midori mattie, I can't let a girl walk alone on a road at night," Sanosuke said going after her.  
  
"Nani?!!? What do you think I'm wimp or something?" She asked him loudly, as they walked down the road together.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They soon arrived at the egde of the woods, it was a very quiet night, the sky was very starry and the full moon shone brightiy, illmunating themsleves and everything around them. Midori looked up at the moon, seeming sad. "Why'd you have to come? I cant't leave now." She mubbled.  
  
"What the hell are talkin'about?" Sanosuke asked, sounding a little irated.  
  
"I wanted to leave tonight..You guys are all doing to much for me, and I don't want you all to get hurt." She said turning her head towards the the ground.  
  
"What the hell are you talking a bout?!? We've come all this way to help you and you want to leave? Kuso. Midori, that would be selfish." Sanosuke yelled at her as he looked at her with almost an angry expression on his face.  
  
"You don't get it, do you?" She yelled back at him, her slivey-green eyes shot a piercing look at his dark brown eyes. "You guys all act like everything is gonna be okay! Well sometimes things don't turn okay! I mean really, you don't seem to get it." Midori yelled, looking up at him, with a bit of anger in her expression.  
  
"We've been in a lot of battles before, we can handle it, and you need to just let us help you, don't be such a baka!" He yelled.  
  
She sniffed, and began to sob a bit, but she quickly wipped away her tears, and forced her self not to cry. "You don't seem to care what I think." She mummbled moving closer to Sanosuke, she leaned her head and her closed fist on his chest, she sild her other arm around his back, gripping the cloth of his shirt, sobbing a little, he looked down at her head, and gentley placed his hand on the back of her head, and put his other on her back, bringing her body closer to his, put her other arm around his back gripping his shrit even tighter, she shook a little, he grippped her tighter, seemingly trying to comfort her.  
  
"Do you really think we'd let ya leave Midori?" He asked sound a bit irked, as she looked up at him, trying to keep back her tears. He rubbed the back of her head gently, as she burried her head back into his chest.  
  
"But.I just don't want everyone doing this all for me." She mubbled, burring her head deeper into his chest.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" Their taking a long time just to get fire wood." Yahiko said. "I'm gonna go see if they need any help." He ran off over to the road.  
  
"Be careful!" Kaoru yelled.  
  
"Why do you think their taking so long?" Kenshin asked her.  
  
Kaoru chuckled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Well I dunno, maybe their not really collecting fire wood."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin asked.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yahiko ran towards the egde of the woods, he cuaght sight of Midori and Sanosuke, only to see them quite close. Which made him laugh so hard that he fell over. Which made them move quickly away from each other.  
  
"You two just wanted to be alone!" Yahiko snickered. "I'm gald you two still have your clothes on." They both punched him quite hard, which shut him up for the moment.  
  
"Well, it's gonna look strange if we go back with out wood." Midori said nervously straching her head as blushed a bit. "I'll go get some." She headed into the woods, Sanosuke and Yahiko following her.  
  
"I'm coming too, I don't want you two doing anything." He said which got him a glare from the others.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They all headed back to where they were before, without looking at eachother, with Yahiko trying to contian his fits of laughter, he suddenly brust out laughing, stupid kid, it just got him another hit from Midori and Sanosuke. Kenshin and Kaoru turned to see what the noise was.  
  
"Looks like their back, how come you only got that little amount of wood."  
  
"In that amount of time?" Kenshin asked, looking at Kaoru, causing them both to chuckle a bit.  
  
"Oi! Urasai!" Sanosuke yelled.  
  
"Heh, heh heh, you didn't see them in the woods." Yahiko said, snickering.  
  
"C'mon! Stop that!" Midori said irated.  
  
"Gomen, it just strange imanging you two together." Kaoru said yawning. "We should get to sleep now.  
  
"Yeah, we should." Midori said, thorwing a blanket over her. "But what about the fire wood?"  
  
"Well we know you didn't go to get that." Yahiko siad snickering.  
  
"Urasai!" She said turning over. They all soon fell asleep, Midori smiled a bit , happy that he had retuned her feelings.  
  
Notes: Gah, sucky (and a little sappy) last line. Yay, love scene- well sorta, any how please be nice and don't flame because Sano is with a charater I made up, it would be pretty pointless, considering I'm not gonna change the relationship. Anyway consrutive critism is welcome, please R+R!!!!! 


	18. Chapter 17 Kouturoa and Aya

The sun shone very brightly, which woke up everyone from their sleep, all though it was later than they had all planned on getting up.  
  
"I'm hungry." Midori said as she stretched as she pushed her self slowly off the ground. "I'm gonna go catch some fish in the nearby pond." Midori grabbed two fishing poles, she handed the other one to Yahiko. "Okay, you can fish too! Just fish somewhere else and don't bug me!" Yahiko argued with Midori, but she some how convinced him to help her.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori squinted up at the bright sun and sighed sat down on the slightly damp riverbank. "Oh crap! The ground is all damp, ahhh.oh well." Midori said sighing. She threw down her fishing pole, and lay back on the soft, tall grass, and looked at the clouds passing swiftly above her. "I think were near Turo's now." She picked up a white feather that was lying in the ground, she rubbed across her face and sighed. " I want to run away.but I'd feel so guilty if I did.but I feel so guilty staying here.are some people just meant to feel like this all the time? Naze? Why is the world this way? Humans really are so strange . " She drifted off into other thoughts like this, forgetting about everything, almost drifting into sleep. But something soon interrupted her train of thought..  
  
"Midori.?" A woman asked.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yahiko sighed as he walked over back over to the rest of the kenshin gumi, to see Kaoru and Kenshin teasing Sanosuke about Midori, he was telling them off as he blushed a little, turning his to hide the blush, but Yahiko didn't see Midori. "She's taking a long time." He thought to himself  
  
"Oh hey Yahiko!" Kaoru yelled and wave as she saw Yahiko. "Aww.you only got two fish? Well hopefully Midori will get more, by the way, did you see Midori?"  
  
"No.She's probably just having hard time fishing or something." Yahiko said, he handed the fish to Kenshin who had started a small fire, and he began to cook the fish. It was not too long before Midori came along, but there was a tall, rather thin woman following her, she had small brown eyes, her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, she had somewhat pale skin and she seemed to be in her mid- forties. She it looked like she was getting along with Midori, so they didn't have to worry.  
  
"Ohayo Minna!" Midori yelled fairly cheerfully and waved as she ran towards them, receiving a wave from everyone else.  
  
"Who's that?" Sanosuke asked pointing at the woman behind her.  
  
"Oh this is Aya, she's my old Sensei's wife, she also knows some fighting skills and she's a doctor! She quite talented." Midori said smiling a little.  
  
"Midori.I'm not that great." Aya said shyly. Midori introduced her to everyone to Aya, she said they could all come stay with her and her husband for a while. They all happily agreed, knowing they should rest before they went off to face Turo.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was getting to be late after noon, and the sun was still shinning brightly when they reached Midori's old teacher's house. It was a normal sized house with a large garden outside of it, and it was just outside of town. Aya ran ahead of them, and yelled to her husband, she motioned for them to come along. They were a little hesitant, but Midori got them to come along. Midori bowed towards Aya and the man when she entered the room.  
  
"Konchiwa, Koutorua-Sensei." She said politely.  
  
"Konchiwa, Midori." The man responded, he looked to be around Aya's age, he had somewhat long black hair, he wasn't much taller than his wife, and he was quite muscular. "So these are all the people that are staying here tonight? The battosoui...well that's odd." He said looking over at Kenshin. :Any how, is that guy your boyfriend Midori?" He asked pointing at Sanosuke, she was standing quite close to him.  
  
"Well ummm." She starched her head as her cheeks turned a little pink, turning her head in the other direction.  
  
Koutorua laughed. "Its okay Midori, you don't have to admit it, I know your shy." Midori looked even more embarrassed, Sanosuke looked a little embarrassed too.  
  
"Oh quit that Koutorua!" Aya said.  
  
"Oh Midori knows I'm joking." Koutorua said still chuckling. Aya went off to prepare dinner for everyone, she figured she'd start it as early as possible. Koutorua sat down to talk with everyone. "So, what exactly are the Battosoui, some kid, a punk and girl doing with Midori?"  
  
"Well their all going to help me fight Turo." Midori said timidly.  
  
Koutorua heaved a large sigh. "I see, it's gonna be tough you know.Turo's not baka, he's also very strong."  
  
"I've told them that! They still want to help me!" Midori said standing up.  
  
"Hmmm, well gonna warn you all, he's a dangerous guy." He said grimly, leaning back in his chair, slowly back in chair, looking around at everyone in the room.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They all ate the dinner quietly and slowly, Midori and Yahiko were tried after dinner, and so they both took baths, and went to be right after, falling asleep not soon after they lay down. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sanosuke looked over at the peacefully sleeping girl. She seemed to be feeling all right at the moment. He smiled a bit, glad to see her feeling somewhat better than she had been in the last week or so.  
  
Koutorua grinned at him Sanosuke watching Midori. "It seems you two really a couple."  
  
"NANI?" Sanosuke asked, sounding a slightly irked.  
  
"Oh nothing." He said snickering. Everyone soon got quite sleepy, so they got out some extra futons and blankets, and placed near Yahiko and Midori, and they were all soon asleep, with many things on there minds.  
  
Notes- ya, not much to say - pretty boring chapter - the next is more exciting though. PLEASE REVIEW! 


	19. Chapter 18 captured!

Chapter 18  
  
Everyone woke up late again, it almost lunch time when they all got up. They offered to help to with work around the household. Aya gladly accepted their help, because she had quite a bit of work to do, she sent Midori and Sanosuke outside to go get firewood, and Kaoru, Kenshin and Yahiko just helped around the house.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Turo-sama, we've just got news from the spies! Midori is in the area." Sesshiro said bowing.  
  
Turo smiled smuggly. "Good, in a send someone to go get her..."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori bowed to Koutorua and Aya "Arigtou!" She said as she waved. Everyone else thanked them for their hosptialty. Midori said she was almost postive she knew where Turo was. Koutorua said they could come back if they got lost, he was pretty sure he knew where it was also. So they all promptly said their good-byes and were on their way yet again.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Turo-sama says he wants you to capture Midori." Sesshiro said bluntly, to the man sitting in the conner.  
  
The man grinned madly and said. "Well I'll be on my way then."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It had been an hour since kenshin-gumi and Midori had left Koutorua's. Midori sighed. Things weren't really going the way she had wanted them to. She looked over to her friends and smiled a little. She wiped off her sweaty forehead, it was a bit hot outside. She thought she heard horse's hoof beats in the distance. "What the hell?" She thought, sooner than she expected, a man on a horse came quickly over him, he stopped the horse a fast as he could. Midori reconized the tall, black-haired almost insane looking man. He then jumped off the horse and ran up to the supprised Midori, thursting a punch into her stomach, it was so quick and hard that it knocked Midori out, he swiftly grabbed her, and mounted the horse, ridding off again. They stood there for a few seconds, but then ran as fast as could after Midori.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Everything seemed be a bit blurry and shaky. Midori looked around.she saw her travel pack next to her, she looked in front of her to see many feet. "Nani? What's going on?" She rubbed her head getting up slowly.one of the people kicked her down again. She looked up, it was Hoshi...Then she felt a something sharp cutting her face, there was that man..the man who knocked her out looking insane, cutting her face with a knife. She backed away, into the conner.  
  
"We've got the scripture now Midori." A man said walking up to her.  
  
"Shut-up Turo!" She screamed. Some one hit really hard, yelling something about how she shouldn't yell at Turo like that. The others joined in, Midori was already quite hurt, so she couldn't fight back at all, and most of these people were quite a deal stronger than her in the first place.  
  
"Lets go, just leave her here, there's nothing she can do." Turo said, walking out of the room, all his minions following him out slaming the door behind him, making the room darker. Midori breath became heavy, she looked out the window. "I could try to escape.I don't wanna cause any more trouble for my friends, it would be a pain if they had to come save me." She looked down at a sword some one had left in the room. She grabbed it, and her travel pack, and mustered up the last bit strengh, thrust the sword thourgh the window. She jumped out of it , landing on a balcony. She looked down below her, there was some bushes under the balcony. So she hung her slef over the balcony, dropping her slef into the bushes. She pulled herself up again and she ran towards the road, trying not to fall down.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sesshiro looked thourgh one of the many large window, to see a figure in red runnning quickly away. "Turo-sama! Midori is getting away!" He yelled with urgence in his voice.  
  
"It doesn't matter, we have the scripture any way..." Turo said smuggly.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori tripped and stummbled, she had used most of her strengh to escape. She hadn't been away for more than ten minutes, but her whole body ached. She sat her self down, and cried from the pain. She, wiped her tears away and froced her self to walk on, she stummbled around, until she saw four figures in the distance. She mustered up the rest of her strength, and ran towards them, but she fell again once, she reached them, getting looks of concren from all of them. Sanosuke helped her back up, she leaned against him for a moment, he placed his hand on the back her head, bringing her closer to him.  
  
"Midori, will you be alright?" Kaoru asked, sounding concrened.  
  
"Yeah.." She said stummbling away from Sanosuke.  
  
"Oi, Midori get on back, I'll get you to Koutorua and Aya's quicker." Sanosuke said.  
  
"But I can walk." Midori said quietly as she tried to get up. "Well alright." Sanosuke bent down close to her and she carefully climbed on to his back, and then they swiftly ran off.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Aya looked out a the window at the dark, almost starless night. She thought she heard a noise nearby, but figured it was probally just some animal in the woods. She then heard a knock at the door.  
  
"Who'd be here at this hour?" Koutorua said sounding annoyed as he slowly rose from his chair, so he could answer the door. He opened it only a little just so he could see who it was. "What do ya' wan't? Oh it's you guys.C'mon in." He said opened the door more, so they could all fit in. He looked over at Midori on Sanosuke's back "Aya! Come quickly! Midori's hurt!" Midori told Sanosuke she could walk now, so he let her off his back, as Aya rushed over.  
  
"Arigatou, Sanosuke." She said with a weak smile, as she walked over to the futon, which Aya right behind her, She slowly placed her slef down on the futon. She turned to Aya. "I mostly ache right now, so I think I'll be okay, but you might want to do something about this scar." She said as she peeled the piece of cloth which had stuck to her face from the dried blood, revealing a dark, messy wound on her left cheek. After seeing this, Aya got to work on it almost instantly. When she was done she exmained the rest of her, and said she just rest for a day. Aya said she should get to sleep as soon as possible, Midori said she was already sleepy, so she just fell asleep right there.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So, what exactlly happened to Midori?" Kouorua asked in seroius tone.  
  
"Well, someone pretty much came up to her, knocked her out, and ran off with her. We went after the man, to go save her, but she escaped before we got to her. It seems they now have the scripture." Kenshin said looking over to Koatourua.  
  
Aya sighed. "She's really a sweet girl, she's still like a child, it's a shame she has to go thourgh all this, especially at such a young age." They all nodded in agreement with her statement.  
  
"Well I know you'll all be heading off to Turo's soon, I'm warning you again, he's a dangerous man." Kouorua said grimmly, looking at everyone thourgh the candlelight. Kenshin nodded seriously, they all talked for a little while longer, but it was getting quite late, so they all decied it would best to get some sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sanosuke looked over at Midori, she was cuddling her pillow, and she had her blankets pulled up around her chin, she looked childish, but cute. He then looked at the wound on her face, feeling sorry for her, he then shook his head and turned back over and went back to sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Midori! Midori! WAKE UP!" Kaoru nearly yelled, looking very troubled as she shook Midori.  
  
"Huh? Nani?" Midori asked, rubbing her eyes, looking around at her rather serious looking friends, they didn't really say anything..but she didn't see Kenshin. "What guys? Where is Kenshin? DID HE LEAVE?" She asked jumping up out of bed. Kaoru nodded. "We have to leave now!" Midori nearly shouted.  
  
"Well yeah! That's why we woke you up!" Yahiko said. Yahiko, Kaoru and Midori grabbed their wodden pratice sword. They weren't really sure they'd help, but they brougth them any way.  
  
"Midori! You should rest a little more!" Aya said, in a worried tone as she stopped Midori from walking outside.  
  
"I'll be okay, really." Midori said turning to her, looking serious.  
  
"C'mon then! Let's go!" Yahiko yelled, running out the door, Midori nodded, going out the door, Kaoru and Sanosuke following. She was mubbling something about how she was gonna give Kenshin a kick when she saw him.  
  
"Midori, Mattiae." Koutotua said, following them out the door.  
  
"Hai?" She asked swiftly turning to him.  
  
"Here, take this, it may help you, just be careful." He said throwing her a sword. "And I want it back when your done."  
  
Midori nodded and bowed, and they ran off towards the final battle.  
  
Notes: Woo-hoo! Chappie 18! Nothing else to say, hope ya' like it! Review please! 


	20. Chapter 19 Blinded child

A group of rather unhappy looking people were thundering down the road.  
  
"I can't belive he's left with out us!" Midori said angrily, looking toward her friends.  
  
"Yeah I know! I have to say I'm not surprised though." Yahiko said.  
  
"Nnn-hnn." Midori said, nodding.  
  
They continued to run for a while, complaining about Kenshin here and there, Kaoru was complaining a little too, but she seemed a little less angry than the others, and a little sad.  
  
"We have got to get to Kenshin before he gets to Turo's!" Midori yelled, quickening her pace.  
  
"Yeah! He's gonna be sorry when he's sees us!" Yahiko said seriously.  
  
Midori chuckled. "I don't think a boy-chan like you could hurt Kenshin at all." Midori teased.  
  
"Urasai!" He yelled toward her. She stuck out her tounge at him and pulled down her eye-lid.  
  
"Your just as bad as him Midori." Sanosuke said, smirking.  
  
"AM NOT!" She yelled, sounding iratated, as she glared at him, she then looked back ahead of her..seeing someone about one fifty yards ahead of them. "Is that him?"  
  
"Yeah! It's is." Yahiko said angrily, running towards the man, Midori, Sanosuke and Kaoru close behind.  
  
The man turned around to see where the noise was coming from. "Oro?" He asked in rather high picthed-voice. (Well high pitched for a man.) Sooner than than he knew it, he got a punch, a kick and hit over the head with a wooden sword, by his fuming friends. Yet the girl with the dark blue hair wasn't fuming, just sad.  
  
"Orrrooooo..." Kenshin said falling over.  
  
"What do you think you were doing? Just goin' off like that?!?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Yeah really?!?"Sanosuke said crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Do you really think we'd just let you leave without us?" Midori asked.  
  
"Gomenasai!" Kenshin said, as he got back up, looking at his glaring friends, he then looked over to Kaoru.  
  
"Well I'm glad we caught up with you before you left." Kaoru said smiling at him a little, getting an affectionate smile back.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Turo leaned back in his chair sighing a bit. He looked around his room, stopping at a single marble on his shelf. He sank deeper into his chair, sighing, in an odd, almost sad way.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
A little girl yanked on the bottom of a young man's shirt.  
  
"Hai?" A young man responed, as he looked down at her.  
  
"I have a question." She said.  
  
"Well, go ahead and ask." He said calmly.  
  
"Can I call you papa instead of Turo?" She asked.  
  
"If you want to Rayeka." He said, looking a little surprised.  
  
"Well I really fell like you're my Papa." She said putting her little arms around him. He hugged her back, smiling a little, she sort of felt like a duaghter to him. She ran off happily to go play again, but she fell over her own feet. Turo helped her up, she looked up a him with couldy eyes that couldn't see.  
  
"C'mon let's get something to eat." He said taking her hand.  
  
"Okay Papa!" She said smiling.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Turo heaved a sigh, and looked up at the cealing. "Why am I thinking of this all of the sudden? He moved his head down again, starring blankly at the front of the room.  
  
---------------------------  
  
"Rayeka? It's time for bed! Rayeka!" Turo yelled as he searched around his small house, unable to find the little girl. "Maybe she went outside.." He said himslef. So he slowly went over to the door and opened it, looking to see if Rayeka was nearby. He saw her across the street, crouched over by a building, it seemed like she was playing. "Rayeka! Next time you want to go outside and play, tell me before you go out!" She didn't respond, so she headed over to her, hearing her cough, she didn't seem to be moving at all. "Rayeka, what's wrong?" He asked, crouching down beside her.  
  
"Sometimes I get sick." She said between coughs, barely audiable to him in the frist place.  
  
"What does that mean? I never seen you like this!" He said with concren in his voice.  
  
She coughed again, turning her blind eyes toward him. "Papa, I can't move."  
  
"It's alright! I'll take you to the doctor's right now!" Turo said picking up the frail little girl, and he ran off as quickly as he could.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So how is she?" Turo asked looking a the sleeping Rayeka.  
  
"Not very good..she's been blind and sick since she was a child, I belive the sickness is an on and of thing. But I've heard she's been this way since was born. Her parents abandoned her, and she's been in this town ever since, this town is very poor, so no could take her in, but we all tried to take care of her as best we could. I've tried to cure her, but I couldn't, I have no idea what's wrong with her. Then you came along , almost a year ago, and she's happier than's she ever been, and even a little better, but I guess this diease has just caught up on her." The doctor said sounding a little sad.  
  
Turo looked down at her, thrashing and sobbing in her sleep. "She doesn't have much longer does she?"  
  
The doctor shook his head, looking sad.  
  
"She was kind of like a daughter to me.." Turo said driffting off.  
  
"Papa?" Rayeka asked weakly.  
  
"Hai Rayeka?" Turo asked.  
  
"Here I want you to have this.." She said opening her fist, to reveal a small round object. It was a marble. He gently took it from her hand. "Papa..I feel bad." She said ,stummbling towards Turo, putting her arms around him. He hugged her back, listening to her breathing getting slower and slower until it stopped.the doctor checked her pluse, and looked at Turo sadly, he just brought the girl's cold body close to him, and began to sob.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Turo heard a knock on the door. "Come in." He said quietly. Hoshi entered, Kubo right behind her, she looked a him seeming distant, she knew there had to be something wrong, because she never saw him like this.  
  
"Turo-Sama, are you alright?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Of course." He said in his normal smug, cold tone.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" Is this the palce?" Kenshin asked, looking over at Midori.  
  
"Yeah.." Midori said quietly, as she looked up at the large european-styled house. She heard Sanosuke mubbled something about how hated westerners, and the rich. She stepped back, afaird to enter the house, she just stood there for a while, but notice her friends were ahead of her, so she ran back over to them.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hoshi glanced out the window, only to see two girls, a young boy, and two men. She pressed her self up agaisnt the window to see who it was..she glared when she reconized who they were. "Kubo! Midori and her friends are here! C'mon we've gotta go hold them off!" She yelled as grabbed her sword, dashing down a large flight of stairs, with Kubo right behind her.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Midori followed behind the Kenshin-gumi slowly, into to Turo's large house.The door was opened Midori knew Turo and his minions knew that they were going to come, and that would mean that Turo and his minions were prepared....and they were already dangerous. She inhaled sharply, seeming a little nervous, but she tried to brush it off.  
  
"So, you really do want that scripture don't you?" A girl's voice asked.  
  
"Who's there?" Midori growled.  
  
"Heh, only us." The girl said coming out of the shadows, a boy behind her.  
  
"So, you ready to fight Hoshi?" The boy asked seriously.  
  
"Yeah." She responded nodding.  
  
"Looks like we'll have to get thourgh all Turo's minions before we get to him. So, Kaoru-san, Yahiko and I will deal with these two, and Kenshin and Sanosuke can go ahead, and we'll catch up later, alright?" Midori asked looking around at everyone, they all nodded. Sanosuke and Kenshin ran swiftly behind Hoshi and Kubo and up the stair case. Sanosuke yelled something to Midori about not getting her slef hurt, cuasing her to blush a little.  
  
Kaoru wacthed Kenshin and Sanosuke go thourgh a door, although she was pretty much only focused on Kenshin. "Don't get hurt, Kenshin." She thought to her self, looking sad, she starred at the door for a while until Yahiko yelled at her, making her temporairly take her mind of Kenshin. They all faced their foes and they were at the start of the final battle.  
  
Notes: Crappy ending! Oh well, poor Turo! And that's not all that happened to him, there is more, so that is why is a bastard, you'll have to read the later chapters to find out more about him. Any way, I'm all happy this story is so long, well long for me any way..I know people have written WAY more..Well WoOt! Please review! I'll love you if you do! -_-" 


	21. chapter 20 The start of the last battle

Chapter 20  
  
Midori nervously stared at Hoshi and Kubo grinning, Kaoru and Yahiko were already running at them, Midori snapped out of her stare , and she ran over to Hoshi and Kubo.  
  
"You two take on Kubo, I'll get Hoshi." Midori said, looking serious.  
  
"But.." Kaoru said, seeming a little worried.  
  
"You guys have already helped me out to much, and I don't wanna put you guys through anymore danger than you're already in." Midori said as she held her sword up against Hoshi's.  
  
"Do you really think a person with as little skill as you could defeat me?" Hoshi said smirking madly as she pushed her sword at Midori's making her stumble backward. Midori looked very angry, and charged at Hoshi, seeming very mad.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kenshin stopped walking and turned around with a look of worry in his violet eyes. He was wondering how Yahiko, Midori and Kaoru were doing, he was even a little worried about them, especially Kaoru.  
  
"Oi Kenshin what's wrong?" Sanosuke asked stopping and turning towards Kenshin.  
  
"Well I'm just a little worried about everyone else, de gozaru." Kenshin said looking up at Sanosuke.  
  
"I'm sure they can handle it Kenshin." Sanosuke said Kenshin nodded, but he still looked a little upset.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yahiko and Kaoru only had a few burses and minor cuts from fighting, but they had been fighting for quite a while, so they were all quite tired.  
  
On the other hand, Midori was being quite viscous, this surprised Hoshi, due to her surprise, and she lost concentration, causing her to get a large cut on her arm from Midori  
  
"Damn it!" Hoshi said, looking shocked, and quite angry as she held the wound on her arm. The beat up Midori was breathing hard. "Well that took a lot of effort." Midori thought.  
  
"Are you alright?" Kubo asked seriously while fending off Yahiko and Kaoru.  
  
"Yeah." Hoshi said, resuming her fight with Midori. Hoshi charged at Midori, giving her a rather large wound at her side.  
  
Midori looked down at her side a grasped it, it hurt and was quite deep. She took a deep breath and charged at Hoshi again. Yahiko and Kaoru seemed to be all right, but they were both tired from fighting.  
  
Midori ran swiftly behind Hoshi and she ran up the staircase as she possibly could, she jumped at Hoshi with full force, delivering a blow to Hoshi's back with the blunt side of her sword. Hoshi's eyes widened in shock. "This girl is stronger than I assumed she was..." Hoshi thought as fell to the ground. Hoshi looked up at the ceiling, and everything seemed to spin and swirl a bit. She heard Kubo call out her name.. Her eyes closed, and everything around her seemed to fade away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sesshiro yawned and sat down, resting his sword down by his side, he had heard Hoshi and Kubo fighting, he had just been on the lower floor a few minutes ago, although he was in a different room at the time. He looked around, his black bangs in front of his eyes. "They should be here soon...the others, they should be easy...unless batousoui is with them." He thought as he groaned. He turned his head he thought he had heard footsteps. He looked up to see a short man with flaming red hair, and a tall man with spiky brown hair, and neither of them looked very happy.  
  
Sesshiro stood up and smirked, he looked like he was ready to fight.  
  
"Kenshin. You go ahead, I'll deal with this guy." Sanosuke said looking over at Kenshin.  
  
"But Sano....last time you couldn't beat him." Kenshin said sounding concerned.  
  
"I'll be alright." Sanosuke said looking over at Sesshiro. "Just make sure you don't get beat up." He said looking down at Kenshin.  
  
"Sano..." Kenshin said quietly.  
  
"Go Kenshin!" Sanosuke said urgently.  
  
"Hai." Kenshin said seriously as he swiftly ran past Sesshiro. Sanosuke looked over at Kenshin running away, hopping he would be alright.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kubo ran over to Hoshi, he shook her and called out her name, Hoshi slowly opened her eyes and said. "I'm okay." Midori, Kaoru and Yahiko carefully crept away as they talked for a while. Hoshi saw them, and she told the rather beat-up Kubo, and he said neither of them were in very good condition, and that they wouldn't be able to get past Sesshiro anyhow.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori stumbled after they got through the door at the top of the staircase.  
  
"Midori, are you okay?" Kaoru asked , seemingly concerned. Midori simply revealed her wound to them, and they both looked a little shocked and worried.  
  
"I'll be okay for now." Midori said as she pushed her self back up, as she grasped her side again.  
  
"Maitte Midori!" Kaoru said as she ripped some cloth off her sleeve, so Midori could cover up her wound. She handed it to the slightly surprised looking Midori.  
  
"Arigatou, Kaoru-san." Midori said smiling weakly. Kaoru nodded, as Yahiko yelled at them saying they needed to hurry up. They nodded and continued on,.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"So I'll be fighting you again?" Sesshiro asked as his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." Sanosuke said, almost grinning at the man. Sesshiro smirked and charged at him, starting a battle that would last quite a while.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Midori, Yahiko and Kaoru caught sight of two figures fighting in the distance...it was Sesshiro and Sanosuke.  
  
"Sesshiro...maitte...didn't he beat Sano-san last time? He did! I hope Sano- san will be alright." Midori thought as her slivery-green eyes glanced over at the man with the white gi-like outfit and brown hair. She sighed, and looked over to Kaoru, who also looked worried. "Are you worried about Kenshin, Kaoru?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah...I don't even know where he is, I really hope he'll be alright." Kaoru said looking down at the ground as she bit her lip.  
  
"He will." Midori said trying to cheer her up at bit.  
  
"Yeah, I hope so." Kaoru said looking off. "I can't imagine losing him... he'll be alright...he just has to be." She thought, sniffling a little. Midori looked at her, she knew how she felt, and she just hoped she could help Sanosuke if her got hurt, even being in the bad condition she was in. Yahiko, Kaoru and Midori looked over to what was going to be a long battle.  
  
Notes: I'VE FINALLY WRITTEN CHAPTER 20! It's been like a month or so since I've written the last one, oh well. I have been busy. So yah, please review. I should have made a little shounen-ai moment with Sano and Kenshin in this chappie, Kaoru and Midori would have been pissed, hahahaha! ::Ahem:: Do review, constructive critism is welcome! 


End file.
